


Unexpected

by SunriseRose1023



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Medical Procedures, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2019-10-31 09:00:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 77,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17846420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunriseRose1023/pseuds/SunriseRose1023
Summary: You and Steve have been close friends for most of your adult lives. Leading up to the wedding of two of your friends—one being your sister—combined with Steve breaking up with his longtime girlfriend, you and Steve give in to the loneliness and have a one night stand, one that ends with consequences you never saw coming. You’re determined to stay friends, but as the months pass, both you and Steve come to realize what’s been lying in wait all along.





	1. The One With A Secret

**Author's Note:**

> This a Tumblr series of mine that I'm going to cross-post here. This is inspired by season eight of FRIENDS, so anything recognizable is because I'm borrowing from there. So enjoy this conglomeration of FRIENDS and the MCU.

“You may kiss the bride.” 

Laughter filled the room as Tony threw his fist into the air, wrapping his other arm around Pepper and twirling her around, dipping her and kissing her deeply. You couldn’t stop the tears, but there was a big smile on your face. You glanced over your shoulder, smiling wider when you saw Christine yelling and clapping behind you. You glanced across the aisle and laughed when you saw Bucky with his hands in the air, and Steve laughing beside him. 

Tony stood your sister upright again, and you handed her bouquet back. She winked at you, then hurried down the aisle with her new husband. You gave a happy sigh, watching Christine walk down the steps to where Bucky took her arm, following in the direction Tony and Pepper had just gone. You picked up your dress with one hand so you wouldn’t step on it as you made your way down the stairs, where Steve was waiting for you. Best man and the maid of honor always stuck together. He took your hand and helped you down the bottom steps, then looped your arm through his. 

“You look gorgeous, by the way.”

You smiled, speaking through your teeth to him as the two of you made your way down the aisle. 

“You clean up nice too, buddy.”

He flashed you a dazzling smile and chuckled, a deep sound that filled you with warmth, and you both let out a relieved sigh when you stepped into the little room where the rest of your friends were waiting.

“There she is!”

You hurried to your big sister, throwing your arms around her, both of you closing your eyes as you embraced. Christine smiled as she set her flowers on a table. 

“And she only teared up like twice.”  
“Only once did actual tears roll down.”  
“Screw you, Barnes.”

Bucky laughed, the rest of the room joining in. Christine grabbed a glass of champagne and handed it to you, taking a sip from her own glass before turning to Pepper. 

“Okay, once everyone clears out of here, we’re slated for half a million pictures. You and Tony, you and the groomsmen, Tony and the bridesmaids—“  
“If I had a dollar every time that phrase was uttered…”

You couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of your mouth at Bucky’s statement. Tony glared at him, but Bucky just grinned. Christine rolled her eyes, but smiled. 

“I figure, half an hour, hour tops, we’ll be drinking and dancing the night away. Who’s in?”

Bucky’s hand shot up, and after nodding his head, Steve raised his hand, too. You shrugged and raised your hand, and when Pepper went to raise hers, Tony grabbed it. He leaned in and whispered something that made her face turn red, before she hit his chest. He smiled and she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, pulling him in and kissing him. You rolled your eyes, the group of you turning as the door opened, giving you the perfect opportunity to set your full champagne glass on a table. 

“Picture time!”

You, Christine, Steve, and Bucky all left the room, but Tony grabbed Pepper’s arm before she could follow. 

“Hey, let me talk to you for a sec.”

Pepper smiled as Tony leaned in, kissing her softly. He stayed close when he broke the kiss, then lifted a hand to slide his knuckles down her cheek. 

“Thank you.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. 

“Stop it.”  
“No, I’m serious.”

Pepper took hold of his lapels again, pulling him in close before smoothing her hands down the front of his jacket. 

“I love you.”

Pepper smiled. 

“I love you too, Tony.”  
“I’m super excited to be married to you.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. 

“I’m super excited to be married to you, too.”

She took his hand and started to turn to leave the room, turning back when he didn’t move. She looked at him, then raised an eyebrow. 

“What?”  
"You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Pepper furrowed her eyebrows. 

“Of course. You know you can tell me anything too, right?”

Tony sighed. 

“Pep, you can stop. I know.”

Pepper raised an eyebrow again. 

“Know what?”  
“Your secret.”

Pepper smiled. 

“I wish you’d fill me in, then.”

Tony sighed. 

“I found the … thing.”  
“What thing?”

He sighed again. 

“I found the test in your bathroom.”  
“What test?”

Tony leaned around her, glancing at the group of people only feet away from them. He leaned in and whispered to her softly. 

“The pregnancy test.”

Pepper’s eyes widened as she leaned back to look in his eyes. She shook her head. 

“I’m not pregnant.”  
“That’s not what the test said.”  
“No, it—it’s not mine.”  
“Honey—“  
“Tony, I swear.”

Pepper let out a laugh, holding up both of her hands. 

“I don’t know whose test it is, but I swear to you, it’s not mine.”

Tony shook his head. 

“Well, if it’s not yours … whose is it?”

 

* * *

 

You, Pepper, and Christine smiled as the photographer snapped picture after picture of you. When he stopped to change out lenses on his camera, Pepper grabbed one of your hands and one of Christine’s, pulling you in.

“Okay, so there's an issue.”

You raised an eyebrow and Pepper glanced over the room before leaning in. 

“Tony found a pregnancy test in the bathroom.”  
“The bathroom here?”  
“Yeah, in the men’s room on the first floor.”

Pepper rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“No, Chris. Jeez. The bathroom at the apartment.”

Christine shook her head, putting a hand to her chest. 

“Not it.”  
“Well, it’s obviously not mine.”  
“If it’s not any of ours, then …”

Christine glanced up, immediately noticing how pale you’d gone. She swallowed, brain racing until she spoke again. 

“I bet it was that stripper’s!”  
“What stripper?”

At the chorus of voices asking that question, the three of you turned to see Tony, Bucky, and Steve standing before you. Tony crossed his arms over his chest and Christine put a hand on her hip. 

“You think we didn’t know? It’s Bucky and Steve.  _ Of course  _ a stripper was involved last night.”

Pepper raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. Tony shook his head, holding up his hands. 

“Okay, first of all … they ambushed me.”

Steve rolled his eyes, while Bucky had the audacity to look shocked. You couldn’t help the laugh, and Bucky shot you a look before he sighed. 

“It was his last night of freedom.”  
“But not yours.”

Bucky shut his mouth and glanced to Christine. She smiled and pointed at him. 

“You diddled the stripper last night, didn’t you?”

Tony pursed his lips. 

“And she was the one who left a little surprise this morning?”  
“What surprise?”

You, Pepper, and Christine shook your heads, mouths opening, but shutting when Tony spoke over his shoulder at Steve. 

“Pregnancy test in the bathroom.”

He leaned to pat Bucky’s shoulder. 

“Congrats, buddy.”

Bucky’s eyes widened and you all laughed. Bucky turned to Steve, who laughed and shook his head, grabbing Bucky’s shoulders and trying to calm him down. 

“Okay, let's get a shot of the bridesmaids together.”

You and Christine stepped onto the stairs, letting the photographer pose you where he wanted. As he walked down to his camera, Christine spoke under her breath. 

“So it’s yours?”  
“Yep.”  
“Holy shit.”

You laughed. 

“No kidding.”  
“What … how? I’m just …”  
“Shocked? Join the club.”

You smiled as the photographer took a few shots. He repositioned you and Christine, and she spoke again. 

“How far along are you?”  
“I’m a little over a month late. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment for next week.”  
“And who did this to you?”

You smiled, laughing softly. 

“I, uh … I’m going to need to talk to him before I spill those beans.”  
“But it’s me!”

You shook your head, smiling as the camera flash went off. 

“Thanks, by the way.”  
“For taking that spotlight off of you? You know I love fucking with Barnes. Did you see his face?”

You nodded, keeping the smile on your face. 

“Can we keep that little charade going for a while?”

Christine nodded, smiling widely. 

“I would love to.”

 

* * *

You managed to keep the tears to a minimum as you gave your maid of honor speech. Steve, however, had the room rolling with his best man speech, which he finished with a sweet, sentimental talk that had both Tony and Pepper tearing up. 

When the speeches were over, Pepper came to sit beside you. 

“How you doing?”

You smiled. 

“Aren’t I supposed to be the one asking you that?”  
“I just know you’ve gone out of your way to make today perfect, and it has been. You’re the best little sister in the history of little sisters.”

You reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne, and Pepper grabbed each of you a glass, setting yours on the table in front of you, taking a sip from her own and scanning the room. 

“So whose do you think it is?”  
“What?”

Pepper smiled, leaning in closer and whispering softly. 

“The pregnancy test from my bathroom.”

You swallowed, shrugging a shoulder. 

“Your maid’s?”  
“Uh, doubtful. Mrs. Jarvis is seventy.”

You let out a laugh.

“Well, we did have that dinner party the other day. Bucky’s latest flavor of the month attended. What was her name?”  
“Beats me. Not like she’ll be coming around anymore anyway.”

You nodded, and Pepper sighed. 

“I just … What if it is one of Bucky’s … flavors, as you put it? How can he be so irresponsible?”

You blinked. 

“Well, I mean … who’s to say that he was?”

Pepper looked to you and raised an eyebrow 

“The positive pregnancy test kind of speaks volumes.”  
“Maybe it was an accident.”  
“He accidentally forgot to wrap it up? In this day and age, how can you be that stupid?”

You shook your head. 

“You know, sometimes … sometimes everyone can wear exactly what they’re supposed to wear and … things still manage to … slip through.”

Pepper’s eyebrows furrowed and you rolled your eyes, huffing out a sigh and picking up the champagne glass, taking a big sip. 

Your eyes widened as you held the champagne in your mouth. You stared at the glass, then glanced around, picking the glass back up and turning away from Pepper, spitting the champagne back into the glass. You grabbed a napkin and dabbed at your mouth, then turned back. 

Pepper was staring at you with wide eyes. You swallowed and she stood up suddenly, grabbing your hand and dragging you along. She shoved you into a bathroom and walked along, checking the stalls, making sure you were alone, then locked the door. She whirled to face you, shaking her head. 

“What the fuck?!”

You put your face in your hands. 

“Y/N, is the test yours?”

You kept your face covered, but nodded. Pepper sucked in a breath, exploding. 

“You’re  _ pregnant _ ?”  
“Yes, okay? Stop yelling.”  
“Y/N.”

You sighed, walking to the bathroom counter and putting your hands on it, hanging your head. 

“It wasn’t on purpose.”  
“I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

You made a face. 

“I’m not. This was … a one-time thing.”  
“Seriously?!”

You glared at your sister, and she huffed out a breath. 

“So this is the product of a one night stand?”  
“Don’t say it like that.”  
“Like what?”  
“Like it’s something dirty.”

Pepper shook her head, lifting a hand to her forehead. 

“Whose is it? Do you know?”  
“You know what? Fuck you.”  
“Hey!”

Pepper shook her head again. 

“It’s not my fault you—“  
“I know who the father is, alright? And I resent you trying to insinuate that I’m some kind of whore.”  
“I’m not …”

Pepper sighed. 

“I didn’t mean to have it come out that way. It’s just … not like you to have a one night stand. I mean, you’re pretty monogamous.”  
“I know.”  
“The last boyfriend you had was … what, a year ago?”

You nodded, looking at your reflection in the mirror. Pepper stepped up behind you. 

“Is it Scott’s?”

You sighed, rolling your eyes before meeting hers in the mirror.  

“No, Pepper.”  
“Then who?”  
“I’m not telling you before I tell him.”  
“But I’m your sister!”

You started to say something, closing your mouth when a knock sounded at the door. Neither you nor Pepper moved, until a voice accompanied the next knock. 

“It’s me, bitches! Let me in.”

You gave a quiet laugh as Pepper opened the door, letting Christine in and locking it behind her. Christine held a plastic baggie out towards you and you raised an eyebrow at her. 

“I bought you another test. And since we’re here, go pee.”

You shook your head. 

“I’m not doing this.”  
“Y/N, those things give a false positive all the time.”  
“Really?”

Christine nodded.

“Plus, they say the best time to take one is early in the morning. But, if you take one this time of day and it’s positive, then there’s a pretty good chance it’s true.”  
“So what if I take one now and it’s negative?”  
“Then you still should probably keep your doctor appointment just to be sure, but we can all breathe a sigh of relief.”

You swallowed, letting out a shaky breath. Pepper took your hand and gave it a squeeze. Christine held the bag out to you and you nodded, taking the bag from her and walking into one of the stalls, smiling through your nerves when you heard Pepper turn on the faucet. 

 

* * *

 

You stepped out of the bathroom and set the test on one of the sinks, stepping to the other one and washing your hands. You glanced to Christine. 

“Can you set a timer?”

She nodded, pulling her phone out and setting an alarm. You reached to turn the water off, grabbing a few paper towels to dry your hands. In the mirror, you watched Christine and Pepper exchange a glance and you blew out your breath. 

“Go ahead. Let me have it.”

Pepper sighed and Christine held up her hands. 

“I’m not here to judge.”  
“Well, I am.”

Christine slapped Pepper’s shoulder, but Pepper shook her head. 

“It’s my right as her sister.”

You rolled your eyes as Pepper got started. 

“What were you thinking? Did you not realize this could happen?”  
“We used a condom! It didn’t break or anything. It just … didn’t work.”

Pepper stopped at that as Christine made a face. 

“I don’t want to think about that. Can we talk about something else?”  
“Please.”

She gave you a soft smile. 

“What are you going to do?”

You lifted your head, looking into the mirror and seeing Pepper’s eyes go to Christine. She shook her head. 

“What do you mean?”  
“I mean, she’s got some options here.”

Pepper swallowed and you sighed. 

“I’m going to have it.”  
“Are you sure? I mean, you do have the option …”

You shook your head as you turned to face them, tossing the paper towels into the trash can. 

“I couldn’t go through with that. I know it’s an option, but it’s … just not for me.”  
“But what about when you’re working?”

You bit your tongue, then pushed a smile forward. 

“I’ve got some time to figure that out.”  
“What about your girls’ trips? You guys go all over the world.”  
“There are things called babysitters, Pep.”  
“But what about the money? Kids cost tons of money. And then there’s schools to think of, and daycare… God, Y/N. There are so many things you’re not even thinking of.”  
“And you’re a baby expert? Chill the fuck out, will you?”

Pepper blew out a breath and you all went still as Christine’s alarm went off. You shook your head, taking a step backwards. 

“I can’t. I’ve already done one. I can’t do another one.”

Pepper and Christine exchanged a look, and Christine nodded, taking a step forward. 

“I’ll do it.”

You swallowed, holding a hand to your stomach as you watched her pick the test up and look at it. She picked up the box and read it for a moment, then looked back to you. 

“It’s negative.”

Your eyes widened, mouth popping open. Pepper and Christine watched you, and you gave a shaky breath. 

“It is?”

Christine nodded. You felt a pang of …  _ something  _ in your chest, but gave a slow nod of your head, then a shaky laugh. 

“Well, wow. Okay, then.”

Pepper’s face softened as you continued to nod. You blinked, then smiled at her, trying to ignore the way it felt like your heart was breaking in two. 

“What a relief! I mean, I … I wasn’t ready, you know? And the … “

You waved a hand, blinking back tears.

“Everything. It’s just—this is better. Good. Thank God.”

Christine gave a nod and you sniffed. Pepper handed you a wad of toilet paper and you shook your head as the tears welled up in your eyes. 

“This is so stupid!”

You gave a soft sob and Pepper walked over to you, rubbing a hand over your back. You met her eyes, watching tears gather in hers as yours dripped down your cheeks. You sniffled, pressing the tissue to your nose. 

“How can I be so … devastated over something I never had?”

You closed your eyes, opening them again and looking at Christine. 

“It’s negative?”

She gave you a soft smile. 

“No. It’s positive.”

You went still, feeling Pepper do the same as her hand stopped on your back.

“What?”

Christine sniffled and nodded. 

“I lied before, but look.”

You and Pepper huddled around her, seeing the test with two bright pink lines. You covered your mouth with a hand and met Christine’s eyes and she smiled. 

“Now you know how you really feel.”

You gave a laugh. 

“That is a risky little game.”

Christine and Pepper laughed and you took the test from Christine’s hand. You smiled at it, lifting your head to look at them. 

“Well. I guess I’m having a baby.”

They both smiled at you and you laughed out loud. 

“I’m having a baby!”

They rushed over to you, laughing and wrapping you in a group hug. 


	2. The One With The Red Sweater

Christine sat at the kitchen table, a mug of steaming coffee in her hand. Pepper stood at the sink, holding her own mug, and they both looked to the door as it opened. Bucky sauntered in, dropping his keys in his pocket, walking to the table and grabbing hold of the back of the chair across from Christine.

“I did it.”

Christine raised her eyebrows and Pepper lifted her mug closer to her face. Bucky glanced from one to the other, then spoke again. 

“‘Did what,’ you may ask? I called the stripper. And guess the fuck what?”

Neither woman said a word and Bucky pulled the chair back, walking and sitting in it. 

“That test ain’t hers. Which means I can breathe a sigh of relief, but I can also  _ never _ go around strippers ever again!”  
“Oh, like you haven’t slept your way through NYC’s strippers anyway.”

Bucky pointed at Christine, who rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. Pepper tilted her head to the side. 

“Did you really think she was pregnant like ten minutes after you guys did it?”  
“I don’t know how those things work!”

Christine shook her head. 

“Didn’t you pay attention in biology class?”  
“I slept through biology class. The kid behind me would kick my desk if I started to snore. Steve did my homework and I bullshitted my way through the tests.”

Pepper rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“Well, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the Barnes name will not be carried on, at least for now.”  
“Not that we know of, anyway.”  
“You hush your mouth.”

Christine giggled, sipping her coffee again, and Bucky nodded to her. 

“Is Steve here?”

Christine shook her head. 

“He had an early meeting with one of his students. Somebody’s failing and wants extra credit now or something.”

Bucky nodded again and they glanced back as the door opened again and you stepped inside, tilting your head when you saw your sister. 

“I thought you’d be halfway to Bora Bora by now.”  
“Well, I would, but …”

Tony stepped into the room, tying the tie around his neck. Pepper nodded towards him. 

“It seems  _ someone  _ forgot that an incredibly important stockholder, shareholder, blah blah whatever was this week. It apparently happens every year at this time, but  _ someone  _ neglected to mention that.”

Tony sighed, slipping his jacket over his shoulders as he walked into the kitchen. 

“It’s so bad she refuses to say my name. I’m  _ someone  _ now. Are you—where’s your ring? We’ve been married less than seventy-two hours. Please tell me you’re not leaving me yet.”

Pepper held up her left hand, where two rings glittered in the sunlight shining through the window behind her. Tony gave a sigh of relief, and Pepper set her coffee down, smoothing the lapels of his jacket and fixing his pocket square. Tony watched her, speaking low. 

“I promise I will make it up to you.”  
“Oh, I have no doubt about that.”  
“Do you want an island in the Maldives? I’ll buy you an island in the Maldives.”  
“I’ll add it to the list.”

He leaned in and kissed her, and you smiled as you leaned against the kitchen island. Tony whispered something in Pepper’s ear, and when she leaned in and did the same thing, Tony stepped away, clearing his throat and pointing towards the door. You laughed, handing him the briefcase that was sitting on the island in front of you. 

“Have a good day at work, honey.”

Tony winked at you, blowing Pepper a kiss as he walked out the door. She rolled her eyes, then sighed as she looked to you. 

“We’re going in two weeks. Which is fine, because I can get started on the thank you notes and organizing the gifts.”  
“Which is better than a honeymoon to you, anyway.”

Pepper narrowed her eyes at you and you smiled, walking to sit between Christine and Bucky at the table. Bucky stood up, heading for the coffee pot. 

“Y/N, you want a cup?”  
“No.”

Your eyes widened at how quickly you answered him, but the smell of the coffee was making your stomach turn. He gave you a look, and you smiled. 

“I just … not feeling that great this morning.”

Pepper and Christine exchanged a glance and Bucky smiled. 

“Partied too hard last night?”

You thought about the night before, when you sobbed over a Disney movie you happened to find on TV and ate cookie dough out of the tub you kept in the freezer of your mini fridge, which you bought from Bucky’s niece, who sold it for her school fundraiser. 

“Yep. You got me.”

Bucky smiled, pouring himself a mug and drinking it black. Christine made a face and you let out a shaky breath before looking to Pepper. 

“Do you have a Sprite or something? Anything bubbly?”  
“Champagne?”

Christine rolled her eyes at Bucky. 

“For breakfast?”  
“Ever heard of a mimosa, Palmer?”

Christine waved a hand at him. 

“That’s only okay at brunch.”

You leaned closer to Christine, whispering under your breath. 

“Can you  _ please _ stop talking about food?”  
“Sorry."

Pepper handed you a small bottle of Sprite and you gave her a grateful smile. Bucky leaned over and twisted the top off for you, and you winked at him as you took a sip, wrinkling your nose at the bubbles. Pepper walked to one of the cabinets, pulling out a box of saltine crackers. She opened a sleeve and took a few of the crackers and set them on a napkin, then handed the napkin to you. You gave her another smile, taking a tiny bite of one of the crackers. Bucky set his mug down and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“That’s not hangover food.”

You, Pepper, and Christine all went still. Christine looked over to Bucky, blinking her eyes once. 

“What?”

Bucky nodded towards you. 

“Sprite and crackers? That’s not hangover food.”  
“Those will soothe a … rough tummy.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow and Christine did it right back at him. 

“I’m a nurse. I know these things.”  
“Yeah, but …”  
“But what, Barnes?”

Bucky looked at you, watching you take another bite of cracker, closing your eyes as you forced yourself to chew it. His eyes widened. 

“Oh my god.”  
“Bucky—“  
“Oh my  _ god _ .”

You lifted your head, meeting his blue eyes. His mouth dropped open and you shook your head, pushing back from the table and running towards the bathroom. You slammed the door behind you and Pepper sighed as she set her mug down on the counter. Bucky whirled to her, then looked to Christine, before looking back to Pepper. 

“She’s pregnant?!”  
“Calm down. At least we  _ know  _ this one isn’t yours.”

Bucky held a hand over his mouth as Christine held her mug out, shaking it at him. Pepper rolled her eyes, grabbing the coffee pot and filling up Christine’s mug. Bucky sat in his chair at the table, dragging the hand down his chin. 

“Holy shit.”  
“How’d you figure it out?”

Bucky met Christine’s gaze. 

“When my sister was pregnant, all she ate for breakfast for nine months was crackers and Sprite. Holy shit.”

Pepper sighed. 

“I know. We’re just as shocked.”  
“I didn’t even think she was seeing anybody.”  
“She’s not. Or wasn’t.”

Bucky looked to Pepper, and Christine spoke up. 

“Apparently, this was a Bucky type of situation.”

He slowly shook his head and Christine nodded to him. 

“You two live together. How are you surprised by this?”  
“Well, we don’t talk about bedroom stuff. She respects my privacy and I respect hers.”  
“So what, she just sleeps through the parade of women you bring in?”

Bucky rolled his eyes. 

“Don’t be jealous, Palmer.”

Christine laughed, and Bucky leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“If we don’t eat dinner together, I might not see her for the rest of the night. She’s real good about sneaking in without me ever hearing her.”  
“Because you sleep like the dead.”  
“It’s a gift.”

Christine snorted as she took a sip of her coffee. You stepped out of the bathroom, slowly making your way back to the kitchen. You sat in your chair and let out a sigh, then lifted your eyes to Bucky’s. 

“Yes. The test was mine.”  
“You’re having a baby?”

You nodded. 

“With who?”

Christine shook her head. 

“She won’t tell us.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I want to tell him first. So don’t go spreading this around, okay? You three are the only ones who know and I’d like to keep it that way as long as I can.”

Bucky smiled. 

“So I found out before Tony and Steve?”

You nodded and he pumped his fist, whispering “ _ yes _ ” under his breath. You laughed, then groaned. 

“I’ve got to go to work.”

Pepper made a face, walking over and running her fingers through your hair. 

“Call and see if you can go in later.”  
“No, I … We’ve got a video call that I can’t miss. I’ll have to talk to my boss and see about maybe working from home in the mornings and coming to the office in the afternoon.”

Pepper nodded, and you groaned again as you stood up from the table, picking up the Sprite bottle. 

“I’m keeping this.”  
“Feel free. I’ll start stocking up.”  
“Thanks, big sister.”

You waved to Bucky and Christine as you left. Christine shook her head and Bucky tapped his foot on the floor. 

“So … how long ago do you think it happened?”  
“The one night stand?”

Bucky nodded, and Christine yawned before she spoke. 

“She said it was a little more than a month ago.”

Bucky nodded, jumping up from his seat and tearing out the door, leaving it open behind him. Pepper narrowed her eyes. 

“Was that the end of his story?”  
“Was that a story?”

Christine shrugged her shoulders, finishing off her coffee. She stood up and walked to the sink, and Pepper moved over so she could wash out her mug and set it in the dishwasher. Bucky came walking back in the door, chest heaving with the effort he’d just given. He held something in his hand, waving it around. Pepper shook her head. 

“What is that?”  
“So Y/N and I switch out on chores. I hate kitchen crap, she’s not a huge fan of laundry. We’re good enough friends that I can wash her bras and panties and she’s cool with it.”  
“That’s fascinating, Barnes. Doesn’t explain—“  
“I’m getting there, Palmer. Easy.”

Christine rolled her eyes, holding up her hands as Bucky continues. 

“So like a month and a half ago, I go to her room to get her laundry. She usually keeps it in the hamper ready to go, but I see this on her floor, half under the bed.”

He straightened out the item he’d been holding, which turned out to be a red sweater. 

A man’s red sweater. 

Christine gasped. 

“Oh my god.”

She rushed forward, taking the sweater from Bucky’s hands. She stared at it for a moment, then lifted her head. 

“I know who the father is!”

Pepper’s and Bucky’s eyes widened, each of them moving closer to Christine, who turned and walked out the door. Bucky looked to Pepper, who shook her head. 

“People have got to finish their stories!”

 

* * *

 

You walked up the steps from the subway, squinting at the sudden burst of brightness and sunlight. You made your way down the street a few blocks, smiling when you saw Christine in her scrubs waiting outside your favorite coffee shop. She wrapped her arms around you and gave you a smacking kiss on the cheek and you laughed. 

“I’m hot. Let’s go inside.”  
“Hang on a sec.”

You raised an eyebrow and Christine sighed. 

“I did something.”  
“Oh, god.”

Christine sighed again. 

“It’s not bad! Well. It  _ might  _ not be bad.”  
“Chrissy, what did you do?”

She gave you a smile. 

“I figured it out.”  
“Figured what out?”  
“Who your baby daddy is.”

You blinked. 

“What?”

She nodded, opening her purse, and you leaned over it, eyes widening at the red sweater. 

“Bucky said he found this in your room and I mean, I knew whose it was the second I saw it, so…”  
“Did you tell them?”  
“No! No, I ran out of there like my hair was on fire.”

You gave a rough exhale, pushing a hand through your hair. Christine closed her purse and spoke again. 

“I’m probably overstepping, but …”

You met her eyes and she smiled. 

“He's here.”  
“Here? Now?”  
“Waiting inside.”  
“Oh, god.”

Christine took your hand and smiled, using her other hand to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. 

“You can do this. If you want, I’ll stay right beside you the whole time.”  
“Chrissy, I …”  
“You’re going to be fine. Just … lay it all out there. Just rip off the bandaid.”

You nodded. 

“Rip off the bandaid.”

You swallowed and Christine let go of your hand, opening the coffee shop door. You followed her inside, scanning the room until your eyes landed on a table in the middle of the store. 

“Chris—“  
“Come on.”

She took your hand, leading you to the table where a familiar handsome man was waiting. He stood up, leaning over to kiss Christine’s cheek before turning to you. 

“Hi, Y/N.”

You smiled. 

“Hi, Scott.”

Scott Lang took his seat and motioned to the chair across from him. You sat down and he looked to Christine. 

“Grab a chair and sit.”

She gave him a smile. 

“Thanks, but I’m going to leave you two to talk.”

Scott gave a quiet huff of a laugh. 

“Look, I’m glad you called me and all, but … what do we have to talk about?”  
“Chris—“

She held up a finger to you, reaching into her purse. 

“I think you know, and I think you’ll understand when I show you this.”

She pulled the sweater from her bag and Scott’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“A red sweater?”  
“ _ Your  _ red sweater.”

Scott gave a soft laugh. 

“This is weird, but …”

He unzipped the top of the jacket he was wearing, pulling it slightly open. 

“ _ This  _ is my red sweater.”

The smile slid from Christine’s face. She stood there, almost in shock, before looking to you. You widened your eyes at her, pressing your lips together. She slowly nodded, putting the sweater back into her bag. 

“Can I get anybody anything? Coffee? Tea? Poison? No, just me? Cool.”

She turned and walked away and Scott laughed to himself. You shook your head, then turned to him. 

“I’m so sorry.”  
“She always was a bit of an odd duck, isn’t she?”  
“But you can’t help but love her.”

Scott nodded, and you sighed. 

“Scott, this was … all a big misunderstanding. If you want to go, you’re more than welcome. Or I will, whichever.”  
“No, I … I’m glad she called. I’ve been wanting to … see how you were.”

You sat back in your chair and he gave you a soft smile. 

“How are you?”

You nodded. 

“I’m okay. How are you?”

Scott nodded, then sighed. 

“Listen, Y/N, I …”

He sighed again and you felt your chest tighten. You started to shake your head when he met your eyes. 

“Scott, I—“  
“I met someone.”

Your eyebrows lifted and he smiled. 

“Her name is Hope, and she … she’s amazing.”  
“Wow.”

He nodded. 

“I don’t … I hope you don’t feel like I’m rubbing it in your face. I just—“  
“No, I don’t … no.”

You gave him a smile, reaching a hand across the table. He slipped his hand in yours and your smile grew. 

“I’m happy that you’re happy. That’s all I want.”

Scott gave your hand a squeeze. 

“Are  _ you _ happy?”

You gave a soft smile. 

“I’m working on it.”

He squeezed your hand again, then let go, sitting back in his seat. 

“It is so good to see you. Hey, since we’re here, let me buy you a cup of coffee.”  
“What about some lemonade? It’s too hot for coffee.”

Scott gave a soft laugh. 

“One lemonade, coming right up.”

 

* * *

Pepper looked up from her spot on the couch, Bucky doing the same where he was sprawled in the chair beside her, as the door opened. When Christine stepped through the door, they both scrambled to their feet, and Bucky reached her first. 

“So?”  
“So … I’m an idiot.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow and Christine pulled the sweater out from her purse. 

“This thing sucks.”

She tossed it onto the table by the door and Pepper made a face as she walked to it. 

“Don’t just throw it. Fold it.”  
“Sorry,  _ Mom. _ ”

Pepper rolled her eyes as she proceeded to fold the sweater. Christine walked to the kitchen table and sat down, putting her face in her hands. Bucky sat across from her, motioning back towards the sweater with his thumb. 

“So whose is it not?”  
“Scott.”  
“Scott Lang? Y/N’s ex?”

Bucky turned back to the sweater and Pepper made a face. 

“She already told me it wasn’t Scott’s.”  
“Well, you could’ve told me that!”  
“See, this is why people need to finish their stories!”

Christine huffed out a breath, crossing her arms over her chest. Bucky rapped his knuckles on the table. 

“So what did you do?”  
“I called Scott, asked him to meet me at the coffee shop. Then I called Y/N, got her to meet me there and told her that I’d figured it out and got her baby daddy there, so she could spill the beans.”

Pepper and Bucky both made a face. Christine nodded. 

“Exactly. She tried to stop me, but I was on a roll. And now I want to crawl under this table and die. I can never show my face to Scott Lang ever again.”  
“Why would you want to?”

Everyone turned back as Tony stepped into the room. He was wearing a Black Sabbath T-shirt and jeans this time, the suit from earlier that morning long gone. Christine looked to Pepper, who smiled as she walked over to him. 

“How was your day?”  
“Nice try at the distraction technique. What is going on? You’ve all been weirder than usual ever since the wedding.”

Bucky mumbled as he shook his head and Christine shrugged her shoulders. Tony smiled as he faced Pepper. 

“Is this about how it’s really your sister who’s the one that’s pregnant?”

Three mouths dropped open as Pepper shook her head. 

“How did you know?”  
“I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, baby.”

Pepper raised an eyebrow and he sighed. 

“Process of elimination.”

Christine raised an eyebrow and he shrugged his shoulders, looking back to Pepper.

“You take the trash out on Tuesday and Thursdays. We had that party here Thursday night, and you took the trash out of the bathrooms. You and Chris and Y/N slumber partied here Friday night and the test was there Saturday morning. If it wasn’t you or you…”

He shrugged again and Bucky nodded. 

“He’s good.”  
“I could have been a detective, were it not for this dashingly sharp mind and—“  
“The weight of the Stark name?”

Tony pressed his lips together but nodded. Christine rolled her eyes fondly, all eyes going to the door as it opened. Steve stood there, soaked with sweat, and Christine raised an eyebrow. 

“Did you get caught in a downpour or did you run here?”

Steve smiled. 

“I ran. Water?”

Tony grabbed one from the refrigerator and tossed it to him. Steve twisted the cap off and raised the bottle, then downed almost half of it. He put his hands on his hips, then looked at Christine.

“I locked my keys in the apartment this morning.”

Christine made a face, making grabby hands towards Bucky, who rolled his eyes as he handed over her purse. She dug for a minute, then tossed her keys to him. 

“Hey, you going anywhere tonight?”  
“Yes. To sleep. These early mornings are kicking my ass. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you.”  
“Thanks, hot stuff.”

Steve waved a hand at her, finishing off the bottle of water. He set it on the counter, looking to Pepper. She smiled. 

“I’ll throw it away for you.”  
“You are the best, Mrs. Stark.”

Tony made a noise and leaned to kiss Pepper’s cheek while Christine awwed and Bucky made gagging noises. Steve laughed and turned towards the door. 

“Hey.”

He walked to the table, picking up the folded red sweater. 

“This is my sweater.”

Pepper’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. She looked to Christine to see her face the same, and Bucky whipped to look at them, blue eyes huge. Steve shook his head.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for this thing, for like a month.”

He waved a hand behind him, then walked out the door. Silence fell over the table, until Pepper, Christine, and Bucky all spoke in one voice. 

“ _ Oh my god!” _

Tony shook his head. 

“What? ‘Oh my god’ what? What’s going on?”

Christine covered her mouth with a hand as she squealed. Bucky shook his head, pushing back from the table and standing up. 

“What?  _ WHAT?!” _

Tony shook his head and Pepper sat back in her chair. 

“It’s Steve’s?”  
“What’s Steve’s? The sweater? I think he made that obvious when he took it with him.”  
“Not the sweater, you idiot.”

Tony narrowed his eyes at Christine, who let out a laugh. 

“The baby.”  
“What baby? Wait. Y/N’s baby?”

Pepper and Christine and Bucky nodded and Tony blinked a few times. 

“ _ What?!”  
_ “Exactly.”


	3. The One With The Party

You yawned as you stepped out of your room, scratching both hands along your scalp and fluffing your hair. You made your way to the refrigerator and opened it, trying not to focus on how your stomach seemed settled this morning. You didn’t want to jinx it. 

You pulled a jug of apple juice out of the fridge and poured yourself a cup. You looked over the top of the cup as Bucky shuffled out of his bedroom, yawning widely, clad —thankfully— in a pair of sweatpants. When you had first moved in with him, you had more than one morning where you’d seen more of Bucky Barnes than you’d ever wanted to see, and after you threatened “ _ to cut it off the next time I have to look at it,”  _ he began wearing boxers or sweats or even the pajama pants you buy him every Christmas. He nodded to you and you stepped away from the fridge. 

“Morning.”  
“Morning, little mama.”

You rolled your eyes and Bucky peered over your shoulder, looking at your cup.

“Apple juice?”  
“Coffee’s a no-no for a while. Plus, the smell makes me sick.”  
“I won’t make any.”  
“No, if you want some, go ahead.”  
“If I want some, I’ll go steal some of Tony and Pepper’s.”

You smiled, kissing his unshaven cheek. 

“Thanks, Buck.”  
“Hey, by the way, Happy Independence Day.”

You shook your head as you walked to curl up on the end of the couch. 

“How is it already the fourth of July?”  
“Not only the fourth of July, but our little Stevie’s birthday.”  
“Oh, it is!”

You shook your head, pressing a hand to your forehead. 

“Jesus, I completely forgot.”  
“You got time to text him. Or, you could tell him tonight at the big  _ Steve’s Thirtieth Birthday Bash _ .”

You blinked, and Bucky cleared his throat as he walked to sit beside you. 

“ _ Or _ … you could tell him something else.” 

He glanced over, waiting until you met his eyes. He bounced his eyebrows and you took in a breath. 

“You know?”

He nodded, and you set your cup on the side table. 

“How?”  
“He claimed the sweater.”  
“In front of everybody?”  
“Yeah, and you can now add Tony to the list of people who know.”

You put your face in your hands and groaned. 

“So everyone knows  _ but _ Steve. This is exactly what I  _ didn’t  _ want to happen.”  
“Hey, we ain’t telling.”

He pulled your hands from your face and you sighed. He smiled at you. 

“But you know it’s only a matter of time before somebody slips.”

You sighed again and nodded. 

“I  _ will _ tell him. I just … I don’t know how to say it.”  
“Just tell him. Steve’s a good guy, Y/N. The best guy I know.”  
“I know that. I just … I don’t know.”  
“Well, you got all day to think about it.”

You nodded, squeezing his hand as he offered it to you before he stood up and went back to the kitchen. You pulled your knees up under you and stared at the wall.

 

* * *

There had to be no less than a hundred people at the penthouse for Steve’s birthday party. After the relatively good morning, you had felt sick all day, thanks to your pregnancy as well as your nerves, so you were late getting there. You walked in and glanced around, meeting Steve’s eyes from across the room. Your heart gave a thump in your chest as he nodded to the people around him and made his way to you, one hand holding a plastic red cup. You smiled when he reached you, immediately wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you in. You closed your eyes as you embraced him, soaking in his warmth as you whispered in his ear. 

“Happy birthday, buddy.”

He pulled back and gave you a wide smile. 

“Thanks, buddy. I’m glad you’re here.”  
“No place I’d rather be.”

He winked at you, taking your hand, holding it to his chest, motioning towards the bar with his other hand. 

“Can I get you a beer or something?”

You shook your head. 

“No, I’m good.”

Steve nodded, smiling at you as he gave you a once-over, holding your hand up and out. 

“You look great.”

You rolled your eyes, smiling as you ran your other hand hand over the magenta, tie-at-the-waist romper you were wearing, one you surely wouldn’t be able to fit in soon. Steve sighed as he gave your hand a squeeze. 

“I guess we both better make the rounds, huh?”  
“I guess so.”

He squeezed your hand again, leaning in to press his lips to your cheek before getting sucked back into the crowd. You let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand just under your ribcage before you pushed a smile on your face and began making the rounds to say hello to everyone. 

You never saw Christine at the bar, watching you with a soft smile on her face. 

 

* * *

Pepper caught up with you early on, sticking close by and plying you with pretzels and ginger ale. Bucky had swung by to kiss your cheek and introduce you to the latest blonde model on his arm, and you didn’t even bother listening to what her name was before they were gone, absorbed back into the crowd. 

When the party was in full swing and you’d seen as many people as you could handle, Pepper brought you to a table and sat beside you. 

“So.”

You sighed, trying to stretch your feet in the wedges you wore, twisting the napkin you held in your hands. 

“I know you know, so just get on with it.”  
“How? I just want to know when you and Steve went from being friends to—“

She glanced over her shoulders, then leaned in closely to whisper. 

“To making a baby.”  
“I told you, it was a one time thing. It was one of those … lonely nights.”

You exhaled, shaking your head and reaching up to touch the updo you’d styled your hair in. 

“I’m so scared, Pep.”  
“About what?”  
“What if he freaks?”  
“Well, he’s probably going to, so just prepare yourself.”

You shook your head. 

“I just … crap.”

Tears began welling up in your eyes and Pepper’s face immediately filled with worry. You shook your head, motioning for another napkin, which she handed to you. You’d sniffled and dabbed at your eyes. 

“I’m so freakin’ emotional lately. So overly weepy.”

You sighed. 

“I just don’t want this to mess up our friendship. He’s … he is so important to me, you know?”

Pepper smiled. 

“I seem to remember you ready to hop a plane to London to beat Peggy’s ass when she left.”  
“He was a wreck! And she just … left him with barely a goodbye.”

Pepper gave a soft laugh, and you sighed.

“I just don’t want to lose him.”

Pepper laid an arm over your shoulders. 

“Sweet girl. You just have to talk to him. This sounds like it was a complete accident. You did everything right and it still happened.”

You nodded and she smiled at you. 

“You’ll feel a lot better if you go ahead and get it over with. Get the weight off.”

You swallowed and nodded again. 

“I feel like I’m going to puke.”  
“Well, don’t. But that would be a hell of a way to tell him, huh?”

You laughed, turning to your left as Tony stepped up to your table. 

“Any chance either of you lovely ladies have seen the birthday boy?”

Pepper’s brows furrowed. 

“He’s not here?”  
“I’ve made my way through the crowd twice and haven’t seen him.”

You glanced over the crowd, bodies pressed in close. You saw a few people—well, Bucky and more than a few women—on the dance floor. When your eyes caught the window above the bar, seeing the stars twinkling in the sky, you smiled. You met Pepper’s eyes, then Tony’s. 

“I know where he is.”

 

* * *

 

You stopped at the last step, hanging your head and letting out a slow breath. You held a hand to the door, breathing in deeply before letting it out again, pushing the door open. You scanned the roof, smiling when you saw Steve sitting on a ledge, beer bottle dangling from his fingers, face turned towards the starry night sky. You let go of the door and he looked your way when it slammed, a smile spreading over his lips. 

“Hey, buddy.”

You smiled, making your way to him. 

“Hey, buddy.”

You sat beside him, looking up at the stars for a moment before speaking softly. 

“You okay?”

Steve sighed, but nodded. 

“Just … all those people. I needed a minute.”  
“I figured.”

He nodded, looking down at the bottle in his hand before turning his eyes back to the sky. You tilted your head as you looked at him. 

“Hey.”

He looked back to you and you gave him a soft smile. 

“What is it?”

One side of his mouth quirked up, and he sighed again.

“I just … I don’t know. I think I’m having a midlife crisis.”

You gave a soft laugh. 

“I don’t think you’re old enough for a midlife crisis just yet.”

Steve shook his head, setting his bottle down beside the ledge before hopping off of it and pacing. 

“I just … I’m thirty, you know?”

You nodded, and he went on. 

“Thirty used to seem so …  _ old _ .”

You smiled and he sighed. 

“I thought people who were thirty really had their shit together.”  
“Thanks for the heads’ up. I’m going to really have to buckle down these last two years.”

Steve laughed, then sighed again. 

“I just …  _ thirty _ . I thought I’d have more to show for it.”  
“Like what?”

He shrugged. 

“A wife. Couple of kids.”  
“Minivan and a white picket fence?”

He looked to you and smiled. 

“SUV. Wouldn’t be caught dead in a minivan.”

You laughed and he walked back to rest his arms on the ledge beside where you were sitting. 

“I thought I’d have at least some of that, or be on the way to it by now. I thought Peggy …”

He shook his head and sighed. 

“I almost feel like I’m starting over, you know? I mean … I don’t even have my own apartment.”  
“None of us do.”  
“I’m couchsurfing, Y/N. I have been for months now.”  
“So bite the bullet and put your name on Christine’s lease. Or I’ll let you move back in with Bucky and I’ll go with her.”  
“No, it’s not — that’s not the point.”  
“What is?”

Steve sighed again. 

“It’s like I put everything I ever knew on Peggy, on the life I thought we were building together, and … it’s just gone. It’s like one minute we were fine, then we were broken up, then she’s gone. She left, and when she did … I think she took some of me with her.”

He shook his head. 

“Now I’m alone, homeless, and thirty.”

You held out your hands, and he helped you off the ledge. You brushed yourself off, then laid your hands on his muscular arms. 

“You are not homeless. We would never let that happen to you. And you are not alone. You have us. You have  _ me _ , and I’m never going to leave you.”

He cut you off there, stepping forward and wrapping you in his arms. You closed your eyes, giving a soft exhale, holding him back just as tightly. After a few minutes, Steve leaned back, smiling down at you. 

“Thank you.”

You looked into his blue eyes, caught by—not for the first time—the sudden, urgent desire for the baby to have his eyes. You swallowed, feeling deep in your chest that this was it. You had to tell him, and you had to do it now. You smiled. 

“As to the rest of it … I might can help with that.”

Steve cocked an eyebrow and you motioned back to the ledge. He sat, and you took the spot beside him, taking in a breath and exhaling slowly before turning to face him. 

“Do you remember when we …”

You smiled. 

“When we had the Pepperony Party?”

Steve smiled. 

“Pepper and Tony. Pepperony.”

He gave a soft laugh. 

“Yeah, I do. That was a fun party.”

You nodded, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. 

“And that … that night, after the party?”

Steve’s eyes went just a shade darker, and he reached over, taking your hand. 

“That was a good night.”

The way his voice went low sent a shiver up your spine. You swallowed and nodded. 

“That  _ was  _ a good night.”

You had the sudden, blinding urge to kiss him, and you looked down instead. You gave a shaky breath, then looked up, meeting his eyes. 

“Steve, I’m pregnant.”

You watched his face go blank, saw the way his eyes widened, then narrowed. He shook his head, blinking twice. 

“What?”

You nodded, and he let go of your hand as he leaned back, shifting slightly. He shook his head. 

“But we … we used a condom.”

You nodded. 

“I know. Guess we’re the three percent, or whatever.”

Steve raised an eyebrow and you blinked before you spoke again. 

“Condoms are only like, ninety-seven percent effective.”  
_ "What?” _

You nodded, and he blinked furiously, shaking his head. 

“Well, they—they should put that on the box!”  
“They do.”  
“Well, they should put it in bright, bold letters!”

He gave a soft groan as he bent over, putting his hands on his knees, blowing out a breath. You nodded, reaching over to rub his back. 

“You’re freaking out. It’s okay. I did the same thing. Of course, mine had a lot more tears involved, but I cry at the drop of a hat these days.”  

Steve hung his head and you nodded again. 

“You can freak out. You  _ should  _ freak out. It’s a freak out worthy occasion.”  
“Is this one of those things where if you keep saying ‘freak out’ it’ll eventually stop sounding like a word?”  
“Is it working?”

Steve turned his head, meeting your eyes. 

“No shit?”

You shook your head. 

“I have two positive tests and a doctor’s appointment on Friday.”

He blinked at you, and you gave him a shaky smile. 

“I just … I want you to know that you don’t have any obligations here, okay? I don’t … expect anything from you, I’m not asking for anything. This was a—a freak thing, and I’m prepared to deal with it.”  
“What, by yourself?”

You lifted a shoulder and nodded. 

“Yeah, I … I can do this.”

Steve nodded, and you looked down at your hands, fighting back the tears that were threatening to form. Steve reached over, taking one of your hands, locking his fingers with yours. You turned your head to see his blue eyes staring into yours. His voice was barely a whisper. 

“You don’t have to.”

You closed your eyes, tears escaping anyway and rolling down your cheeks. Steve stood and helped you up, then took you into his arms. You buried your face in his thick shoulder and he held a hand to the back of your head. 

“You’re not in this alone. You don’t have to do this alone.”  
“I just … I don’t want you to … to think that I did this on purpose or— that I was trying to trap you or anything.”  
“God, Y/N.”

He pushed you back enough to hold onto your elbows as he looked into your eyes. 

“I don’t think that. We were both adamant about the condom. Like you said, this is … just a freak thing.”

You sniffled and nodded, and he moved to cup your face in his hands, brushing the tears from your cheeks with his thumbs. He took in a breath when you met his eyes. 

“We’re having a baby?”

You nodded. 

“We’re really having a baby? Like—like you and me?”

You nodded again, relief flooding through you when his face broke into a smile. He leaned down and pressed his lips to yours in a quick kiss before he straightened again. He let out a laugh, pulling you back into his arms, laughing as he held you close before lifting you and twirling you around. 


	4. The One With The Appointment

Bucky was sitting at the kitchen counter, a bowl of cereal before him that he intermittently took bites from as he scrolled through his phone. A soft knock sounded at the door before it opened, and Bucky’s face broke into a smile when Steve walked in. 

“Hey, Daddy.”

Steve rolled his eyes, setting his bag beside the door.

“Is she up?”

Bucky shook his head. 

“Not yet. Any minute now.”

Steve nodded, pulling the bouquet of flowers from behind his back. Bucky took in a breath, mouth dropping open. 

“They’re lovely! But darling, I didn’t get you anything.”  
“You’re so hilarious, you know that? You should quit your job and become a comedian. Oh, wait.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes before flipping Steve the bird. 

“I’ll have you know that I’ve got a job this very afternoon.”  
“Clothed or unclothed?”  
“That was  _ one  _ time. Are you ever going to let it go?”  
“Nope.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and Steve put his hands on his hips. He lifted a hand to scratch at the back of his head and looked at his friend. 

“Are the flowers too much?”  
“For a Friday morning? I’m not really the one to ask.”

Steve sighed. 

“I just … I don’t know. I don’t want to overstep.”  
“I think you crossed that line when you knocked—“  
“I’d hate to have to  _ knock _ you out, right here in your own home.”

Bucky slammed his spoon down on the counter. 

“You come into  _ my house _ , threatening me with … and I’m done.”

He picked the spoon back up and Steve laughed under his breath. He looked over Bucky’s shoulder as your bedroom door opened, and Bucky turned in his chair. 

“Morning.”

You shook your head, making a beeline for the bathroom. You slammed the door behind you and Bucky made a face. 

“You didn’t bring any coffee, did you?”

Steve shook his head. Bucky cursed under his breath and Steve lifted an eyebrow. Bucky sighed. 

“The smell makes her nauseous, so I try not to fix any. But I’m dying here, man.”  
“I’m sure Pepper’s got some going. Go bother her.”  
“I’ve done that every day this week.”  
“Then she should be used to it by now.”

Bucky frowned and nodded, patting Steve’s shoulder as he passed him and walked across the hall. Steve looked over his shoulder. 

“Don’t do the—“

He sighed as Bucky began beating his fists on the door, calling out “ _ Wilma!”  _ just like Fred Flintstone. Steve shook his head as the door swung open and a mug of coffee was pressed into Bucky’s hand before the door swung shut again. Steve laughed and Bucky shrugged his shoulders as he walked back into the apartment, going for his bedroom. 

The bathroom door opened and you stepped out, shaking your head and holding a hand to your stomach. 

“Just in case anyone is keeping score, I no longer wish to eat pretzels.”  
“The big ones or—“  
“Any of them. Ever.”

You sat on the couch and laid across it, curling up on your side. You looked towards the kitchen. 

“What are you doing here?”  
“Checking on you.”  
“Mornings are not the time you want to do that.”

Steve smiled as he walked closer to you, sitting in one of the recliners near the couch. He stood up, reaching over and grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch and draping it over you. You gave him a soft smile. 

“Thank you.”  
“Anytime.”

You closed your eyes and he pressed his lips together. 

“Is it always like this?”  
“It just started this week. I felt a little queasy last week, but this one’s hit hard. I think it’s because I know what’s causing it now.”

Steve nodded.

“Is there anything I can do?”

You shook your head, keeping your eyes closed as Steve asked another question.

“Do you have to work today?”

You shook your head again. 

“I took today off.”

He nodded, licking his lips. 

“I canceled my 1:00 class.”

You opened your eyes at that. Steve was smiling at you, and you blinked as he shrugged his shoulders. 

“I want to be there for you. With you, whatever.”

You nodded, swallowing as tears welled up in your eyes. You closed your eyes again, sniffling, and Steve stood up, shrugging his jacket off, toeing off his shoes and walking to the couch. 

“Scoot over.”  
“What?”  
“Scoot.”  
“Steve, you’ll be late for work.”  
“Who cares? The kids need a break.”

You scooted, and Steve stretched out on the couch, propping his feet on the far armrest. You rolled close to him, putting your head on his chest as he moved one arm behind his head, wrapping the other around you. You were asleep almost instantly, and Steve smiled as he watched you, then leaned his head back and closed his eyes. 

Bucky stepped from his room, phone in his hand, back camera on. 

“See? What did I tell you? And see over there? Those are the flowers he brought her.”

Christine shook her head. 

__ “This can go one of two ways, Buck. Great and they end up together or it will crash and burn spectacularly.”  
“Why do you always have to be such a Negative Nancy?”  
__ “It’s part of my charm.”

Bucky turned the front camera back around. 

“Want to make a bet?”  
_ “About what?”  
_ “How long they’ll say they’re ‘just friends’ before they give in?”

Christine smiled. 

“ _ I’m going to go out on a limb and say … four months.” _

Bucky gave a laugh. 

“I give it three weeks. A month, tops.”

* * *

 

 

You sat on the edge of the table, in one of those ridiculous paper gowns, another sheet of the same paper material draped over your legs. You kept moving your feet, which made Steve smile from his perch behind you, where he was peeking through the blinds and looking out the window. 

“Would you relax?”

You huffed out a breath and he gave a soft laugh. You glared at him over your shoulder. 

“I’m nervous.”  
“I know.”  
“So why bother telling me to relax?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders. 

“Thought it might be worth a shot.”

You rolled your eyes, looking down at your hands. You bit your bottom lip, then looked back to him. 

“I didn’t even see the flowers until after I woke up again. Thank you for them. They’re beautiful.”

Steve smiled. 

“Sorry I wasn’t there when you did wake up. I figured I should probably teach at least one class today.”

You smiled and looked back down at your hands. 

“Is this weird?”

Steve glanced to you and you rolled your eyes. 

“I mean, I know  _ this  _ is weird, but … I don’t want  _ us  _ to be weird.”

Steve shook his head. 

“I don’t think we are.”  
“I just don’t want us to mess up what we have. I mean, I love you and you’re one of my best friends. I don’t want to lose that.”

Steve tried his best to keep his face neutral, to ignore the twinge his heart gave when you said the two of you were “friends.” He’d been grappling with that very same subject ever since you’d told him you were pregnant. He gave you a smile. 

“I don’t want to lose you either, buddy.”

You smiled, looking down at your hands again. 

“Thanks, buddy.”

You glanced up as a knock sounded at the door, a few seconds before it opened and a man in a white coat stepped into the room. 

“Miss Potts?”

You nodded and he gave you a smile, holding out his hand for you to shake. 

“I’m Dr. Barton. Pleasure to meet you.”

He looked behind you and Steve stepped forward with his hand out. 

“Steve Rogers.”  
“Clint Barton. Pleasure.”

Steve nodded, going back to where he’d been standing behind the table. The doctor raised an eyebrow at him and you gave a soft laugh. Dr. Barton smiled and set the folder he’d been holding on the counter. He hooked a foot in the stool under the counter and dragged it out, then took a seat. 

“So, what brings you in today?”

You swallowed, clearing your throat. 

“I, uh … I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant.”

He nodded. 

“When was your last menstrual cycle?”

You told him and he nodded, making a note on your chart. 

“They’ve already drawn your blood and tested your urine sample, and by the results of those tests, I think it’s safe to say … you are definitely pregnant.”

You nodded, and Steve tried to keep his cool. Dr. Barton continued with his questioning. 

“Have you had any of the ‘typical’ symptoms? Any morning sickness?”

You nodded. 

“Breast tenderness?”

You widened your eyes and nodded and he smiled. 

“Fatigue?”  
“I’m a nap queen these days. If I’m not crying, I’m sleeping.”

He gave a quiet laugh, making a note in your chart. After a moment, he patted your knee. 

“I’m going to do a physical examination, and then we’ll do an internal ultrasound and see if we can see what’s going on in there. Okay?”

You nodded, laying back on the table and putting your feet in the stirrups. You closed your eyes, opening them again when Steve’s hand slid into yours. You looked over to where he was standing, his back to the doctor, eyes focused on the wall behind you. You gave a soft laugh and squeezed his hand, and he smiled as he looked down at you, then winked.

When the examination was done, the doctor wheeled the ultrasound machine over. 

“Alright, Miss Potts. You’ve done really well so far. Try and stay relaxed for me.”

You nodded, exhaling as he inserted the ultrasound probe. Steve continued to stare at the wall, and after a moment, Dr. Barton spoke again. 

“Everything looks good here. You look to be about six weeks along. I’m going to try to find the heartbeat, but sometimes it’s a little tricky at this stage.”

You nodded, closing your eyes. They snapped open again as a soft whooshing sound began to fill the room. You looked to the doctor and he smiled when you caught his eyes. 

“That’s your baby’s heartbeat.”

You sucked in a breath as Steve turned around, facing the screen. He somehow managed to get his thoughts in order enough to pull his phone out of his pocket, turning a video on and recording the sound of the heartbeat. Dr. Barton pointed to a little speck on the screen. 

“See that?”

You and Steve both nodded. 

“That’s your baby.”

You took in a breath, looking over as Steve took hold of your hand again. You had to look away from him when a tear rolled down his cheek, and you sniffled as you smiled at the screen. The doctor did a few more things, then rolled away from the table. 

“I’m going to get a few things together and leave them at the front desk for you. Most important thing now is for you to start taking prenatal vitamins. Lay off the caffeine, no alcohol, drink plenty of water, get plenty of rest. You know, all the stuff we should all do on a daily basis.”

You smiled and nodded. 

“Take your time here, and just stop by the front to make a follow up appointment. Congratulations.”

He shook yours and Steve’s hands again, then walked out, leaving the ultrasound up on the screen. You looked back at it, at the tiny speck that was changing your life. You looked over to Steve, who shook his head, unable to take his eyes off the screen. 

“That’s the most beautiful little thing I’ve ever seen. And I can barely see it.”

You gave a watery laugh. 

“I know. Did you hear that heartbeat? It was so strong, so fast.”

You lay back on the table, squeezing your eyes shut, tears leaking down your cheeks. Steve shook his head. 

“This is really happening. There … there’s really a baby in there.”

You rolled your head to the side, staring at the screen again. 

“I can’t believe that’s our baby.”

Steve grabbed your hand, squeezing it before he bent down, holding your hand to his chest. 

“That’s **our** baby.”

 

* * *

You stepped into Pepper and Tony’s apartment, Steve shutting the door behind you. Pepper turned from the refrigerator, shutting it and walking to the table, where Tony was sitting, reading a newspaper. Christine and Bucky turned from their spots on the couch and Pepper cleared her throat. 

“So, uh … how did it go?”

You nodded, and Steve reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. A few seconds later, a whooshing sound filled the room. Christine jumped up, eyes filling with tears as Pepper shook her head. 

“What … What is that?”

You smiled at her through the tears in your eyes. 

“That is your niece or nephew’s heartbeat.”

Pepper gasped and Bucky jumped to his feet, laying a hand on Christine’s back as they made their way towards the rest of the group. You pulled the ultrasound photos from your purse and handed them over, and Christine let out a watery laugh. 

“Oh my god! Look!”

Bucky peered over her shoulder, a smile coming to his face. He reached a hand over, pointing at one of the photos. 

“Is that—“  
“Yes.”

Christine walked to stand between Pepper and Tony, showing them the pictures and pointing out the important things. Pepper looked to you with tears in her eyes and you smiled. 

“It’s really happening.”

Pepper closed her eyes and shook her head, walking to you and wrapping you in a hug. You couldn’t stop smiling, and you laughed when Bucky walked over and grabbed Steve in a tight hug. Steve looked at you over Bucky’s shoulder, a huge grin on his face that didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. 


	5. The One With A Little Bit of Background

You walked into Pepper and Tony’s apartment, smiling when you noticed all your crew there. You walked to where Steve was sitting and placed a jar on the table in front of him.

“Help.”

Steve smiled, grabbing the jar and easily opening it. You reached in and pulled out one of the green olives, putting it in your palm and holding your hand out. Pepper raised an eyebrow and you rolled your eyes, but smiled.

“This is how big the baby is this week. Week nine.”  
“Aw!”

Tony rolled his eyes, but still smiled. You popped the olive in your mouth, closing your eyes.

“God, those are so good.”  
“Yeah, in a martini. Not straight out the jar.”

Christine made a face at you as you pulled another olive out of the jar. You shrugged your shoulders, and Bucky stood up, giving you his chair as he walked past Christine to the coffee pot.

“We are not complaining, because at least she’s keeping these down. Unlike the—“

You narrowed your eyes at him and he shook his head.

“Never mind.”

He turned away from you and filled up his mug and you sat back, smiling when Steve’s foot slid over and bumped yours. Tony walked to the table and tapped his hands on it.

“Tonight’s the big night, do not forget.”

You looked to Steve, who furrowed his eyebrows. He glanced to Christine, who pursed her lips as she looked to Bucky. Bucky shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip from his mug before looking to Tony.

“We already forgot. What’s big about tonight?”

Tony hung his head and Pepper walked up behind him, gently rubbing a hand over his back.

“The dinner at—“  
“Oh, the nice place! That’s tonight?”

Pepper nodded to you and you winced.

“I’m sorry, Tony.”

He shrugged, and you blinked as your eyes started stinging. Steve sat up in his chair, reaching to lay a hand on your arm. You shook your head, sniffling as Tony glanced your way.

“Oh, hey. No. No, it’s fine.”  
“No, we … we all forgot and you were so excited.”

You looked down as tears leaked from your eyes and Tony sighed.

“Honey, hey.”

You sniffled again, and Tony smiled as he knelt beside your chair.

“It’s okay. I’m glad I reminded you now, instead of tonight when I was the only one at the restaurant.”

The tears came harder at the thought that brought and Bucky slapped Tony’s shoulder.

“Okay, bad choice of words. Y/N, look.”

You lifted your teary eyes to his and he smiled at you.

“You’ll be there, right?”

You nodded, and he tapped your nose.

“Then that’s all I care about. Forget these clowns.”

You laughed, standing up as Tony did, wrapping him in a hug. He rubbed your back, kissing your temple before he let you go. You sniffled again as you sat back down, taking the napkin Christine handed you and wiping your eyes. Tony turned to grab his briefcase and kiss Pepper, and you stood up, walking to the kitchen sink and staring out the window over it. You couldn’t stop the tears from welling up in your eyes again, and you gave a shaky sigh before you felt a warm hand on your back.

“You okay?”

You shook your head, keeping your eyes out the window instead of looking at Steve.

“I just … I’m all over the place. I’m exhausted, my boobs are killing me, and everything—yes everything—makes me want to burst into tears. Or makes me actually burst into tears, like a dumbass.”  
“You’re not a dumbass. You’re pregnant.”  
“Oh, really? I hadn’t realized. Thanks for informing me.”

You huffed out a breath, then put your face in your hands.

“And now I’m being mean to you for no reason!”

Steve gave a soft laugh, stepping closer to you and rubbing a hand up and down your arm.

“First of all, I grew up with Bucky. I’ve got a thick skin. You want to be mean to me, go ahead. I can take it. But you’re growing my baby, Y/N. You’re allowed to be all over the place. Take a nap. You deserve it.”  
“I have to work, Steve.”  
“Do you really?”

You rolled your eyes, but smiled. He leaned closer to you, whispering in your ear.

“And anytime you want me to help with your sore boobs, just let me know. I’ll gladly do whatever you need me to.”

You slapped his arm and he laughed, leaning in to kiss your cheek.

“Any time, buddy. I mean it.”

You shook your head, a smile on your lips and warmth in your cheeks.

“Thanks, buddy.”

Steve threw an arm over your shoulders and you leaned into him, taking in a deep breath. The two of you walked back to the table and you sat down with him standing behind your chair. He leaned over you, close enough that you could smell the cologne he’d spritzed that morning, dragging the jar of olives over the table and stopping in front of you. You reached up and laid a hand on his arm, gently rubbing it before taking an olive from the jar and eating it.

“Ooh, Olive is cute.”

You looked to Christine and raised an eyebrow. She nodded to you, taking a sip from her coffee mug.

“Baby name.”

Steve snorted.

“Olive?”  
“It’s cute!”

He looked down at you and you shrugged your shoulders.

“It is cute, but I’d really like to steer clear of food-type names. I mean, yeah, I like olives now, but what if they take the same route as the pretzels did?”

Bucky nodded.

“Plus, we all know they’re gonna name it after me anyway.”

Christine barked a laugh and you couldn’t help but laugh with her. Bucky lifted a hand to his chest, then pointed to Steve.

“Stevie, baby, you know it’s true. Who wouldn’t want to name a kid after the greatness that is James Buchanan Barnes?”  
“I don’t know, if it takes after you, we may need to buy another apartment just to fit both egos in here.”

You laughed at your sister as Pepper rolled her eyes. Christine took another sip from her mug.

“You could do the ‘giving the baby mom’s maiden name’ thing. Potter.”  
“Potter Rogers? Kid’s gonna get his ass kicked.”

Steve laid a hand on your shoulder, reaching into the jar and pulling out two olives.

“Guys, guys.”

Christine and Bucky turned to look at him, and he tossed the olives at each of them.

“The baby’s that big. We haven’t even started talking about names.”

He gave your shoulder a squeeze, leaning to whisper in your ear.

“But I’m not letting you name him Potter.”

You laughed as he kissed your cheek again before gathering his briefcase. You glanced over to Christine.

“What if Potter’s a girl?”  
“Hey, James is a cute girl’s name these days.”

You rolled your eyes at Bucky’s interruption, laughing to yourself when Christine threw the olive Steve had thrown at her at Bucky.

You shook your head as Christine and Bucky started nagging at each other, lifting your eyes to Steve as he shook his head and walked to the door. He turned back and met your eyes, giving you a smile and a wink before he walked out.

You bit your lip, looking down at the table. You took in a deep breath, missing the way Pepper was watching you intensely.

* * *

 

You stood outside the nice restaurant, wearing a dress and heels, your hair fixed in an updo that showed off the dangly earrings you borrowed from Pepper. Bucky was with you, but he was facing one of the restaurant’s windows, brushing his fingers through his artfully styled hair.

“You look fine. Stop nitpicking.”  
“I’m not—“

Bucky sighed, straightening and rolling his hands down the lapels of his suit jacket.

“I’m bored. Why isn’t anyone else here?”  
“They’re coming. We’re early.”  
“Well, they better hurry. I’m starving.”  
“Join the club. I don’t think I’ve had anything since breakfast.”  
“And did you keep it down?”

You shrugged and Bucky rolled his eyes, moving a hand to fix his tie. You picked your phone out of your bag and checked the time, looking up when a sharp whistle pierced the air. You smiled when you saw Christine crossing the street, and you took in a breath when you saw Steve beside her. He had on a dark blue suit with a white shirt, a striped tie, sunglasses on his nose.

“Oh, crap.”  
“What?”

Your body felt heavy all of a sudden, black spots dancing in front of your eyes. Bucky had a worried look on his face and you blinked before you felt his hands take hold of your hips.

“Hey, hey. Easy.”

You closed your eyes and shook your head, giving a soft groan before you were enveloped in a warm embrace.

“Y/N? Hey, open your eyes.”

You gave another groan, turning your face towards Steve’s shoulder. You felt yourself being lowered until you were sitting on a bench. You felt Steve’s hand against your face and you leaned into the touch.

“Y/N? Honey, look at me.”

You heard Christine’s soft voice and you slowly blinked your eyes open, seeing her crouched down in front of you. She gave you a smile and you frowned and closed your eyes, lifting a hand to your head.

“You okay?”

You leaned your head against Steve’s and took a deep breath.

“You smell good.”

He gave a quiet laugh at your soft statement and Christine gave your knee a squeeze. You blinked your eyes open again and looked to her.

“I just … dizzy.”  
“What did you eat today?”

You blinked as you looked to Bucky. He blew out a breath.

“I don’t think she’s eaten anything. And what little she ate this morning, she probably threw right back up.”

Christine sighed, standing to her feet. She took hold of one of your hands, moving her fingers to your wrist to count the throb of your pulse. She dropped your hand, then met your eyes.

“You can’t do this. You can’t go all day without eating. The baby is a parasite. It will take from you what it needs, whether that be from your bones or teeth or the food you give it. Even if you throw up, you retain a little something. So you have to eat.”

You nodded, keeping your head on Steve’s shoulder. Bucky disappeared into the restaurant, coming out a few moments later with a dinner roll in one hand and a glass of ice water in the other. He handed both of them to you, and Steve held the glass while you took bites of the roll.

You finally started to feel better when the roll was gone, and you drank half of the glass of water. You looked at the three pairs of eyes watching you intently and you sighed.

“I’m sorry I worried you. I’ll try and do better.”

“Don’t just try. Do it. Take snacks in your purse if you have to.”

“I totally thought that’s what the purse was for anyway.”

You laughed at Bucky, nodding to them when a limo pulled up and Tony and Pepper stepped out of it. Bucky shook his head, smoothing a hand down his jacket lapel.

“Always got to outdo us.”  
“We rode on the subway, Buck.”  
“Yeah, but … still.”

You laughed, waving to Tony and Pepper as they stepped over.

“Ready?”

You all nodded, and you waited until everyone had walked past you before you tried to stand up. Steve was right beside you, giving you support when your legs tried to shake.

“You sure you’re okay? We can get a cab and go home. They’ll understand.”

You shook your head, clutching onto him as you took a step.

“I’m okay. I just need to eat something and I’ve been looking forward to this place for weeks.”  
“I’m right here, okay? If you need anything, just make a motion and I’m there.”  
“Thank you, buddy.”

Steve smiled, keeping hold of your hand as he led you into the restaurant, sitting beside you at the big circular table.

* * *

 

You sipped your ginger ale as everyone at the table went through a few bottles of wine. Steve’s cheeks and nose were red by the second bottle, and he kept a hand on you at all times, something you didn’t mind one bit. You thought you kept seeing Christine with a knowing smile, but she’d turn and talk to Pepper before you could say anything.

“Okay, you know what? I’m just going to do it. I’m gonna go for it.”

You lifted an eyebrow and Tony moved a hand to point two fingers at you and Steve.

“How did this happen?”

You shook your head and Tony went on.

“We’re all friends, yeah. But how did you two go from friends to … having a baby?”

You blushed as you looked to Steve, and he shrugged his thick shoulders, a smile on his face. You shook your head, taking another sip of your ginger ale.

“You guys need to lay off the wine.”  
“Oh, come on, Y/N. You knew one of us was going to ask eventually.”

You narrowed your eyes at your sister and Bucky nodded.

“We’re all dying to know.”

Christine tilted her wine glass at you.

“Spare no juicy detail, please. Some of us are in a dry spell.”  
“And whose fault is—ow, Pepper. That was my foot.”  
“I know it was.”

You laughed at the way Bucky was glaring at your sister and you shook your head.

“There are some things even friends don’t need to know.”

Christine let out a laugh.

“Trust me, honey bunny. We all need to know this.”

You looked to Steve, who shrugged his shoulders again, that amused look still on his face. He leaned in and whispered in your ear, his warm breath tickling and causing goosebumps to rise up and down your spine.

“Tell them as much or as little as you want. We both know what really happened.”

You met his eyes again and he winked at you before he settled back in his chair. You took in a breath, letting it out slowly.

“Could we get some more wine? I don’t know if I want you all remembering this.”  
“Oh, come on!”

You laughed at Christine’s whine and laid your hands on the table.

“This does not leave this table.”

Eager heads nodded as you looked from seat to seat, and you sighed.

“You remember the Pepperony Party?”

Bucky smiled.

“Best pizza party I’ve ever been to.”  
“Yeah, I didn’t know we could have that much fun at a pizza party as adults.”

Christine smiled at Pepper and Tony, and Steve lifted his glass to his lips.

“That was a  _fun_ night.”

You waited for Steve’s words to sink in, and you knew it had happened when Christine and Pepper looked to you.

“Seriously?!”

You laughed, then nodded. Christine shook her head.

“Wha … how?!”  
“You see Chrissy, sometimes when two people—“  
“Oh, shut up, Barnes.”

You laughed again, turning your head to look at Steve, your mind drifting back.

_“I don’t think Buck will be waking up any time soon.”_   
_“Yeah, I just poured Christine into a cab. Tony and Pep went to bed a while ago.”_

_Steve nodded, tilting his head as he looked at you._

_“How drunk are you?”_

_You smiled._

_“I feel good, but not like I’ll regret it tomorrow. You?”_   
_“About the same. I know my face is red, but I can still walk a straight line.”_

_He demonstrated, wobbling only a little bit, and you giggled._

_“Very good.”_

_You grabbed a few empty pizza boxes and stacked them on top of each other. You carried them over to the counter and set them down, turning to look for a garbage bag. Steve handed one to you and you nodded your thanks. He walked around and picked up more empty boxes, stacking them before flattening them with one hand._

_He looked to you and you gave an exaggerated shiver._

_“My hero. So strong.”_

_Steve chuckled, rolling his eyes._

_“Can we recycle these boxes?”_   
_“Big, strong, handsome, and worried about the environment? You really are my hero.”_   
_“Stop it.”_

_You giggled, then nodded._

_“I think so. But we couldn’t put them in a trash bag, could we?”_

_He shrugged his shoulders, then nodded at you._

_“If we put them in the bag, we can carry it down to the recycling easier.”_   
_“I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”_

_You pushed boxes down, stuffing them into the bag._

_“That’s not the … only reason you keep me around, is it?”_

_You glanced over your shoulder, seeing him leaning against the counter, elbow propped up on a stack of boxes._

_“What do you mean?”_

_He shrugged, turning his back to you as he opened one of the boxes and inspected its contents._

_“Hey, there’s still some supreme left over. I thought for sure that guy from Pepper’s office had eaten it all.”_   
_“Steve.”_

_He looked your way._

_“What is it?”_

_He sighed, closing the box._

_“I just … I don’t know.”_   
_“Hey.”_

_He looked to you and you set the bag in one of the chairs in the kitchen. You crossed your arms over your chest and walked to him._

_“It’s me, buddy. You can talk to me.”_

_Steve nodded, looking down at his hands._

_“I’ve been questioning everything here lately.”_   
_“What do you mean?”_

_He met your eyes._

_“Ever since Peggy left, I … I don’t know.”_

_You didn’t say anything, and he blew out a breath._

_“Why, you know? Why did she leave? Why now? Why all of a sudden wasn’t I good enough for her? And if she can just up and leave the way she did, what’s stopping everyone else from doing that?”_

_You blinked and he shook his head._

_“Just forget I said anything. Maybe I’m drunker than I thought.”_   
_“Steve.”_   
_“Come on, I’ll take the bags down and get a cab home.”_

_He stopped, hanging his head. You swallowed as you lifted a hand to your mouth. Months back, Steve had to move out of the apartment he and Peggy had shared for years, because he could no longer afford it on his own. With you and the rest of your group well ensconced in your living situations, Steve had no choice but to give up his lease. Thankfully, Christine had a spare bedroom since her cousin had taken a job out of state, and she readily offered it to Steve._

_He lifted a hand to rub his eyes and shook his head._

_“When did things get so fucked up?”_

_You walked to him, getting right up in his space and wrapping your arms around him. His arms encircled you, holding tightly enough that tears came to your eyes._

_“I’m here, Steve. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”_   
_“Promise?”_

_His soft question broke your heart and you nodded and you held him tighter._

_“I promise.”_

_He leaned back enough to look in your eyes and you blinked as you looked up at him. You moved a hand to his stubbled cheek and he closed his eyes, leaning into your touch. You leaned in closer as he did the same, and your hand fell from his cheek to his shoulder. You went up on your tiptoes …_

_And both of you looked to the window as a horn suddenly blared on the streets below. You stepped back at the same time that Steve did, lifting your hands to your cheeks to feel them burning. Steve pushed a hand through his hair, stammering as he spoke._

_“I, uh … I’ll take these bags down and toss them in the um … the … recycling on my way out.”_

_You nodded, turning away from him and beginning to pack up the remaining slices of pizza._

_“Do you want to take some pizza with you?”_

_You glanced over your shoulder and Steve met your gaze, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling. He nodded._

_“Sure, that … that sounds good.”_

_You nodded, packing up a box with what you knew were his favorites. He gathered the rest of the empty boxes and smashed them down, packing the bags and then walking out the door. When it closed behind him, you sank into a chair, covering your face with your hands._

_What was that? What had you almost done?_

_And why couldn’t you stop thinking that it might not have been the worst thing?_

_You groaned, shaking your head and pushing yourself up again. You placed the rest of the leftover pizza into Tony and Pepper’s fridge, knowing that if nothing else, Bucky would come and mooch off of them tomorrow._

_You stared at the box you’d packed for Steve, pressing your lips together. You shook your head, cleaning up the last little bit before taking the pizza box and carrying it across the hall. You slid your jacket from your shoulders, shivering at the temperature in your apartment on your tank top covered shoulders, the unseasonably cool almost-June night finally reaching you. You opened the fridge to get … something, stopping when a quiet knock sounded at the door. You swallowed, opening it and seeing Steve standing there._

_“I forgot my pizza.”_

_You smiled at him, opening the door wider and stepping aside to let him in, walking to the fridge and opening it again._

_“Do you want a beer or something?”_   
_“Y/N.”_

_You let out a shaky breath, closing the fridge. You turned back to face him, hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, wearing a thin red sweater. You shivered, lifting your hands to rub at your bare arms._

_“Has it been this cool all night?”_   
_“I don’t want to talk about the weather.”_

_You nodded._

_“What do you want to talk about?”_

_You met his stare, keeping your eyes on his for two heartbeats before you both moved at the same time, you wrapping your arms around his neck as his hands came around your waist. Your lips met his and you could swear electricity shot through your whole body. His hands moved under your thighs and you jumped, wrapping your legs around his waist as he carried you into your bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind him._

“So?”

You blinked as you looked to Christine, the expectant look on her face bringing you out of your memories.

“So what?”

She rolled her eyes.

“ _So_ who came onto who? Was it a one-time thing? Did you lay out ground rules? Come to a mutual agreement?”

You looked to Steve, saw him release his bottom lip from between his teeth. You swallowed, knowing that he was remembering as well as you did, despite the drinks you’d both consumed that night. His eyes held a dark sparkle to them and you blinked as you looked back to Christine. You moved your lips, no sound coming from your mouth, going still when Steve’s voice, deeper than usual, sounded from beside you.

“It was a mutual agreement. Sort of like how the details will be something you all never find out.”  
“What?! Oh, come on!”

Steve shook his head, leaning forward, laying one arm around your shoulders as he gripped the other side of your chair.

“Y/N was right. Some things even friends don’t need to know.”

You closed your eyes as he pressed his lips against your bare shoulder, then stood up, walking away from the table. You blinked your eyes back open, staring at the tabletop, unable to miss the wide-eyed stares from all around you.

“Just shut up.”

Pepper pointed towards Steve.

“What was that all about?”  
“Shut up.”

You swallowed, lifting your glass of ginger ale and draining it.

* * *

 

“Can I ask you something?”

You set your purse on the counter and set about taking off your earrings.

“Sure.”

Bucky unbuttoned his suit jacket, slipping it off his shoulders.

“You and Steve … it’s still on the table, isn’t it?”  
“What do you mean?”

Bucky smiled as he started to unbutton the cuffs of his shirt.

“You guys are way more than just two friends having a baby. You want more, don’t you?”  
“That doesn’t matter.”  
“You mean to tell me if he walked in right now all caveman and tossed you over his shoulder, you wouldn’t go for it?”

You sighed.

“Bucky … If my standards were just a little lower, I’d ‘go for it’ with you.”

He blinked wide blue eyes and you smiled, leaving the earrings on the counter.

“Good night.”

You left him in the middle of the living room, shutting and locking the door behind you before you sank onto your bed. You ran a hand over your face, then set about taking your shoes off. You glanced back at your phone, biting your lip when you thought of how easy it would be to give Steve a call, get him to come over so the two of you end up in the bed where all of this began.

You laid a hand low on your stomach and sighed, lying down on your back and staring up at the ceiling. Your eyes were suddenly heavy, and you closed them, letting out a deep exhale.

_“Tell me you want this.”_

_You gave a soft laugh, meeting Steve’s stormy blue eyes when he pulled back to look at you. You nodded, looping your arms around his neck._

_“I want this, Steve. I want you.”_

_He gave what you could imagine to be a relieved exhale, ducking his head to press his lips to yours. You moaned, letting your head fall back as he laid you on the bed, his lips attacking your neck as your hands went to rest at his ridiculously tiny waist._

_He pulled your tank top down, moaning as he saw your lacy black bra. He lowered his head to your breasts, and you gasped, moving your hands to cup his face as his freshly trimmed beard scritched at your skin._

_“Steve.”_   
_“Shh, babe. I got you.”_

_He lifted his head to kiss you again, and you sighed into the kiss as his body settled atop yours. You ran your hands down his back, feeling the muscles bunch and ripple under your touch. You’d always thought Steve had a great body, and now that you had the chance, you were determined to show him your appreciation. You pushed your hands under his sweater and he leaned back, grabbing the sweater at the neck and pulling it over his head._

_“Wow.”_

_Steve smiled as you stared at his bare chest, letting his head fall back with a low moan as you slowly ran your hands from his collarbones down to the waistband of his jeans. You unbuttoned them before he took hold of your wrists and pushed you back against the bed, and you stared up at him, your wrists still encased in his hands._

_Your breath came heavier, and Steve lifted an eyebrow as he smiled. You shook your head and he gave a soft laugh before he leaned down, fixing his lips to yours. He let go of your wrists and moved to grip your waist, rolling the two of you until you were straddling his hips._

_You stared down at him and he moved his hands to lace his fingers with yours._

_“You okay?”_

_You nodded, giving him a little smile._

_“I’m good, I just …”_   
_“What, babe?”_

_You bit your bottom lip._

_“There’s no going back from this. We’re crossing a line here, Steve.”_   
_“You okay with that?”_

_You let your eyes travel over his face, down to where his chest was rising and falling, his abs clenching with every breath he took. You took your time bringing your eyes back to his, smiling at the knowing look on his face. You reached back and unclasped your bra, sliding it down your arms and dropping it off the side of the bed._

_Steve pursed his lips as he blew out a long, slow breath, his eyes on your chest before he looked back up to your eyes. He shook his head, sitting up and putting his face between your breasts, making you moan as your hands moved to hold him where he was._

_Steve lifted his head, looking up at you as you pushed a hand through his hair._

_“Do you have a condom?”_   
_“Check the drawer. If not, I know Bucky has some in the bathroom.”_

_Steve wrapped an arm around you, keeping you close, giving you access to kiss and nibble at his neck as he leaned over and pulled open your bedside drawer. He came back with a foil packet between two fingers and you smiled as you pushed him back to the bed, tossing your hair back before you leaned over him, kissing him deeply as his hands danced down to push your leggings off._


	6. The One Where It Starts to Unravel

“Miss Potts, can I speak to you a moment?”

You blinked as you looked up from your desk, then nodded at your boss. You pushed your chair in after you stood up, smoothing a hand down your blouse and walking into Phil’s office. He nodded at you when you walked in and you shut the door behind you before taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. 

Phil sat in his chair, putting glasses on his nose as he rolled the chair closer to his computer. He typed on the keyboard for a moment while you chewed on your bottom lip. After a few moments with nothing but the clicking of they keyboard as any noise, you spoke. 

“Am I being fired?”

Phil smiled, continuing to stare at his computer. 

“No, Y/N. You’re not being fired. We just … ah, here it is.”

He turned his computer screen to face you, taking his glasses off his nose as he sat back in his chair. You scooted to the edge of your seat, scanning the screen, eyes widening as you read. 

“He’s coming here?”  
“And he wants to meet you.”

Your eyes widened even more. 

“ _ Me _ ?”

Phil smiled at the squeak of your voice, nodding his head. 

“He’s very impressed with your work, Y/N.”  
“How does he even know about my work?”  
“All the offices send him weekly updates. Our numbers have been outstanding lately, which I guess merits a visit from the big boss.”

You slowly nodded, swallowing at the rumble in your belly. You prayed you wouldn’t throw up all over Phil’s office, and he gave you a smile. 

“This is a good thing, Y/N. You’re an excellent worker, and it’s time you got some recognition for that.”

You smiled, and Phil tossed his glasses aside. 

“I’m meeting with him tonight, and he wants to meet with you around seven on Friday.”  
"Friday night?”

Phil met your eyes. 

“Is that a problem?”  
“No. No, it’s not a problem at all, it’s just …”

Phil smiled. 

“Call it a business dinner.”  
“Not a date?”

Phil chuckled. 

“I can say he is  _ very  _ interested in you, Y/N. This could work out very well for you and our little office.”

You pushed a smile onto your face as you heard the words Phil didn’t say. 

_ “So don’t screw this up.” _

You nodded, and Phil tapped the arms of his chair.

“So I can tell him you accept?”

You swallowed, pushing down the guilt crawling up your spine. You raised your head, giving Phil a smile.

“Yes.”

 

* * *

You stepped into yours and Bucky’s apartment that afternoon, dropping your purse on the table and stepping out of your shoes. Your feet were killing you, and your legs were sore because of near-constant leg cramps so bad they woke you up in the middle of the night. You walked to the couch and sat down, putting your feet up beside you and sliding until you were laying on one of the pillows Bucky still didn’t understand how or why had appeared on his couch. You closed your eyes, opening them again when the door opened, then closed. 

“Oh, hey.”

You sat up, seeing Steve set his bag down and open the refrigerator. You raised an eyebrow and he smiled at you when he turned to face you, bottle of water in his hand. 

“You okay?”  
“I just got home.”  
“Tough day?”

You shrugged, then sighed. Steve motioned back towards the refrigerator and you shook your head. He walked over and sat beside you on the couch, setting his water on the coffee table in front of you and pulling your feet into his lap. 

“Steve, I—“  
“Hush.”

He started rubbing your feet and you collapsed back on the couch, closing your eyes and groaning. 

“Oh my god, you’re an angel.”

Steve smiled, digging his thumb into the arch of your foot, watching your toes curl. He licked his lips, moving his hands up your ankle, to your calf. You almost came off the couch, sitting up as his hands hit a particularly sore spot. 

“You okay?”

You shook your head.

“Don’t stop.”

Steve swallowed, but continued with his ministrations. You squeezed your eyes shut and groaned, biting your lip before you spoke again. 

“I get these … awful leg cramps in the middle of the night. My legs are so sore but …  _ god _ , that feels so good.”

Steve let out a breath, tilting his neck to the side as he continued massaging your calf. You moved to lay back down, giving a hitched sigh. 

“Talk to me.”

Steve glanced at your face, relaxing when he noticed your eyes were still closed. 

“What about?”  
“Anything.”

He smiled, changing his motions to massage back down your leg, licking his lips when you gave a soft moan. 

“Had a kid turn in a paper today that was word-for-word plagiarized from his older brother’s paper I graded last year.”  
“Is that really plagiarism, or is it just changing the name and turning in my brother’s paper?”

Steve smiled. 

“Either way, he’s failed. He was failing anyway, but this is just the icing on the cake. Now I’ve got to file a report and turn it in, have a meeting with my boss…”

He shook his head. 

“Whole lot of hassle for a kid who had a ton of potential, but is more interested in smoking pot and hanging with his friends than to go to class.”  
“Oh, to be nineteen again.”

Steve shook his head. 

“Nineteen was rough for me.”  
“Tell me about it, Grandpa.”

He gently pinched your toes and you laughed. He smiled, shaking his head, and you relaxed into the couch as Steve switched feet. You sighed, speaking softly. 

“Kids are dumb. They do dumb things, but I think they have to, in order to get some sense.”  
“Yeah, I agree. It’s just hard to see a kid like that ruin his future when all he needed to do was put in a little effort.”  
“What’s the stupidest thing you did as a kid?”  
“Ran from the cops on prom night.”

Your eyes flew open and he laughed.

“Are you shitting me?”  
“Nope. You can ask Bucky.”

Your mouth hung open and he gave another soft laugh. 

“Bunch of us were doing shit we shouldn’t have been. Nothing like drugs or anything, just stupid kids being stupid. Cops came and we took off running. I was captain of the cross-country team, so I outran my ‘friends’ and got away with it. Or so I thought. When I snuck in my room that night from the fire escape, my ma was sitting on my bed with one of the cops standing beside her. Turns out, he’d been a friend of my dad’s and recognized me.”

Steve shook his head as his hands slid up under your knee. 

“He tore my ass a new one, and when he was done, my ma picked up where he left off. I never really understood the phrase about putting the fear of God into someone until that night.”

He smiled as his hands massaged your calf. 

“Honestly though, the kids I was hanging out with were bad news. Nick probably saved my life doing what he did that night.”

Steve glanced over, saw that you were asleep on the couch. He smiled, continuing to gently massage your leg.  

“My dad died before I ever got to know him. The only dad I ever knew was Bucky’s, and he treated me like his own. I want to be a good dad to our kid, Y/N.”

He let out a quiet breath. 

“Maybe I should go pay Nick a visit, get him to teach me how to do that look that scared the shit out of teenage me.”

Steve set down the leg he’d been massaging, turning his body slightly to watch you. He kept your feet in his lap, grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch and draping it over you, picking up the remote from the coffee table and turning on the news. 

 

* * *

You were sitting on your sister’s couch, staring into space, clutching a pillow to your chest when she walked into the room. Pepper raised an eyebrow, tying her robe and crossing her arms over her chest. You continued to stare, until she made her way to you and bent until you were face-to-face.

“Earth to Y/N. You in there?”

You smiled, blinking and meeting Pepper’s blue eyes. You shook your head as she walked into the kitchen, and you noticed the sun beginning to rise through the window. You sighed as Pepper spoke softly. 

“Can I make some coffee?”

You swallowed, but nodded. 

“Go for it.”  
“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”

You smiled again. 

“Bucky brought a … friend over last night. A very enthusiastic one. And she was still … showcasing her enthusiasm this morning. I had all I could take.”  
“Bless you. I’d have had all I could take a long time ago.”

You shrugged your shoulders. 

“Bucky’s amazing. Especially with all of this. He knows a lot about babies.”  
“Well, he would, with the baby factories that his sisters became.”

You gave a soft laugh. 

“Two sisters with seven kids between them.”

You shook your head and Pepper spoke again. 

“Everything else okay?”

You nodded, but at the silence that followed, she raised an eyebrow. She walked around until she was standing in front of you. 

“Liar.”

You rolled your eyes, but smiled. You let out a breath and Pepper walked to sit beside you. 

“What is it?”

You sighed, turning to face her. 

“The owner of the company I work for has a business proposition for me.”

Pepper’s eyes went wide. 

“The owner?”

You nodded. 

“He wants to discuss it over dinner.”

Pepper blinked. 

“Like a dinner meeting?”  
“Like he and I discussing whatever it is over dinner.”

Pepper blinked again. 

“Like a  _ date _ ?”

You blew out a breath. 

“I don’t know.”  
“Y/N.”

You looked to her, eyes narrowing at the shocked look on her face. 

“What? Is it so shocking to imagine a guy wanting to take me to dinner?”  
“You’re pregnant.”

You raised an eyebrow. 

“So?”  
“So … you can’t date this guy.”  
“Because I’m pregnant?”  
“Because you’re pregnant with  _ Steve’s _ baby.”

You shook your head. 

“They don’t know that at work. And it could just be a business thing.”  
“Not if you’re sitting on my couch at the crack of dawn.”

You sighed, looking down at your hands. 

“Why shouldn’t I go?”  
“Because.”  
“Because  _ why,  _ Pepper?”

She shook her head. 

“You  _ know  _ why.”  
“So, what, I’m just supposed to give up my life now? No more dates for me?”  
“It’s weird.”

You glared at your sister. 

“What? That I’m pregnant?”  
“That you’re pregnant with Steve’s baby but dating someone else.”  
“I’m not dating  _ anybody _ . Certainly not Steve.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because he hasn’t asked?”

Pepper blinked. 

“So you would be dating him, if he asked?”  
“That is neither here nor there.”  
“Oh,  _ whatever _ .”

You slammed the pillow down, then got to your feet. 

“This is ridiculous. I don’t even know why I’m here or why I told you.”  
“Because you  _ know  _ it’s weird!”

You glared at her as she stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. You huffed out a breath, then shook your head.

“He’s a nice guy. It’s just a business dinner.”  
“It’s a  _ date _ , and you know it.”  
“I have nothing holding me back from doing this.”  
“What about Steve? What about the flowers he brings you constantly, or the food he goes and gets for you? The movies you sit and watch all the time?”  
“Or the way he goes home when it’s over?”

Pepper sighed and you shook your head. 

“He hasn’t even tried to kiss me.”  
“That’s not—“  
“I’m ten weeks along, Pep. It’s been a month since we all found out and nothing has changed.”

Pepper’s eyes widened. 

“Are you kidding me? ‘ _ Nothing has changed?’  _ Do you have eyes?!”

You shook your head. 

“Just forget it.”

You turned and walk away, ignoring the sound of your sister calling after you. You ignored her, walking back across the hall to your apartment, throwing the door open and groaning. 

“Oh, Christ.”

You covered your eyes with a hand when you encountered Bucky and his  _ friend _ , eating breakfast while standing at the counter, neither of them wearing a stitch of clothing. You shook your head at his stammering, marching into your room and slamming the door behind you. 

The door that you wrenched open half a minute later when you ran for the bathroom to throw up.

 

* * *

 

You stepped into the apartment after work that day, walking straight for the couch and sitting down on it. You huffed out a sigh, kicking off your shoes and laying on your back, staring up at the ceiling. You heard the door open, then close, and you made no move to leave the couch or even sit upright. A few moments later, Bucky’s face appeared in your vision. 

“Hello.”

You smiled. 

“Hi.”  
“Rough day?”

You sighed. 

“I don’t know.”

Bucky nodded, moving to push the coffee table out of the way, then lying down on the floor beside the couch, his head near yours. He rested his arms beside him, staring up at the ceiling like you.

“We need a skylight.”

You closed your eyes, unable to stop the smile. 

“Because the apartment needs more natural light?”  
“No, so at times like this we can make shapes out of clouds.”

You smiled, not understand why tears came to your eyes at that. Bucky lifted a hand, and you pressed your palm against his, squeezing your eyes shut when he entwined his fingers with yours. 

“Talk to me, Mama.”

You sighed. 

“Can you just listen and not judge me?”  
“Of course.”

You opened your eyes and sighed again. 

“There’s this guy at work.”  
“Does he have a name?”

You pursed your lips, then answered him. 

“Thor Odinson.”

Bucky was quiet, and you rolled your head to the side, only to see his blue eyes wide as he stared at you. You blinked, shaking your head and he spoke. 

“You’re shitting me, right?”  
“You’re said you wouldn’t judge.”  
“Yeah, I’m not judging  _ you. _ That dude’s name, I can judge all day. What kind of parents name their kid ‘Thor?’”

You rolled your eyes. 

“That is not the point.”  
“So what is?”  
“I’m getting there.”

Bucky held up the hand not currently holding yours. 

“I’m sorry. Go on.”

You huffed out a breath, staring up at the ceiling again. 

“We talk sometimes, on the phone or over Skype. He’s a senior executive.”

You closed your eyes, making a face. 

“No, that’s a lie. He’s the owner of the damn company.”  
“No shit?”

You nodded your head and Bucky gave a low whistle. You blew out a breath before speaking again. 

“He’s nice. Charismatic. I can’t tell if he’s English or Australian, but I love his accent.”  
“Cute?”  
“Total dreamboat.”

Bucky made a gagging noise and you giggled. You sighed, then spoke softly. 

“He said he has a proposition for me. Wants to discuss it over dinner. Like a business dinner.”  
“Are you going to go?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“So that’s why you’re in here staring at the ceiling?”

You nodded, and Bucky was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. 

“Why wouldn’t you go?”  
“Because Pepper thinks it’s slutty for me to go on a date with another guy while I’m pregnant. But it’s not a date. It’s a business dinner.”  
“Not to detract from you, but do you know how many ‘business dinners’ I’ve gone on in my life?”

You snorted. 

“Yeah, but those weren’t business. You just wanted to get in the girls’ pants— _ Oh,  _ I see what you’re saying.”

Bucky gave a quiet laugh. 

“But that doesn’t necessarily mean Thor is the same way. Maybe this genuinely is a business thing.”  
“That’s what I’m saying!”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders, giving your hand a squeeze. 

“You’ll never know unless you try.”

You nodded, but stayed quiet. After a few silent moments, Bucky gave your hand another squeeze. 

“What?”  
“I just … I don’t know.”  
“No, don’t cop out. Tell me.”

You sighed. 

“I feel guilty about it.”  
“Why?”

You gave a shaky laugh. 

“I don’t know.”

You groaned as tears filled your eyes. You let go of Bucky’s hand and sat up, covering your wet eyes with both of your hands. 

“I’m so goddamn emotional lately and it’s killing me.”

Bucky gave a soft laugh, then sat up, laying a hand on your knee. 

“Hey.”

You shook your head and he gave your knee a squeeze. 

“Come on, pretty girl.”

You blew out a breath, then lifted your head to look at him. He gave you a soft smile. 

“Talk to him.”  
“What am I supposed to say?”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. 

“The truth? You’re going out with this guy for a business thing. Is there an attraction there? Maybe. Could this blossom into something else? Perhaps.”  
“Buck, I’m just going into this to see what the job is. I’m not offering to bear his children.”

Bucky lifted his shoulders, a frown on his face. 

“You’re sort of already working on that with someone else.”

You gave a soft laugh, shaking your head. 

“You’re cute.”  
“It’s literally my job.”

You laughed again, holding out your hands. Bucky stood up, then took your hands, helping you stand. 

“Whoa, careful.”

You closed your eyes, hand going to your forehead as the room swam before you. Bucky’s hands were on your hips, holding you steady, then helping you sit, a quiet groan escaping your lips as a wave of dizziness crashed over you. 

“Breathe, honey.”  
“I think I got up too fast.”  
“You’ve got twice your regular blood volume running through your veins. It’s easy to get dizzy.”

You smiled, keeping your eyes closed. 

“I thought Christine was the medical one.”  
“Well, Christine doesn’t have two sisters who have taken it as their mission to double the population of Red Hook.”

You gave a soft laugh, waiting for a moment before blinking your eyes open. You took in a breath and let it out slowly, then glanced up at a concerned Bucky. 

“You alright?”

You nodded, giving him a soft smile and laying your hand on his wrist. 

“I’m good. I promise.”

Bucky leaned down to kiss the top of your head, then made his way into his bedroom. You sat back against the couch, giving a sigh as you closed your eyes. 

 

* * *

 

 

You made your way from your apartment to the subway, riding it as far as you could. You stopped by a coffee shop, then grabbed a taxi and rode it to Brooklyn College, where Steve taught. The campus was gorgeous, and you took your time walking through it before finding the building that housed Steve’s office. You smiled when you saw his door was cracked open, soft jazz playing in the background. You knocked on the door, pushing it open, smiling wider when Steve’s head raised from where he was bent over his desk. A wide smile came to his lips when he saw you and he jumped up. 

“Hey, buddy.”

You smiled, handing him one of the cups you held in your hand and he gave a groan of thanks as he leaned to kiss your cheek. He took a sip and winced, surely at the heat of the coffee, but still gave a soft noise of approval. 

“I needed this. These papers are putting me to sleep.”

You smiled as you sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. 

“Maybe the professor shouldn’t choose such boring topics.”  
“Maybe the kids could do something other than reword the textbook. No one has any original thoughts anymore.”  
“Oh, I bet they’ve got some original thoughts. And I bet they would get kicked out of class for writing them.”

Steve narrowed his eyes at you and you giggled. He shook his head, white teeth peeking out from behind his beard as he smiled. 

“You’re so right.”

The two of you laughed and you glanced down at your hands. You’d had an uneasy feeling the whole ride over, and it was only intensifying now.

“Hey.”

You looked up, meeting Steve’s blue eyes. 

“You okay?”

You let out a breath. 

“I need to talk to you about something.”

He smiled, sitting back in his chair and lacing his fingers together, resting them on his stomach. 

“I figured as much, since none of you ever come visit me at work.”  
“It’s just _so_ _far_ from the city.”

Steve rolled his eyes and you smiled, then sighed. 

“There’s this guy at work.”

You were staring at your hands, so you missed the way Steve’s eyebrows perked up. He sat up straighter in his chair, hands moving to grasp the armrests. 

“He’s … jeez. It’s his company that I work for. He owns it. Anyway, we’ve talked a few times before. He, uh … he apparently has a business proposition for me and he’d like to discuss it over dinner.”

Steve was white-knuckling his chair. 

“Like on … on a date?”

You looked up, meeting his eyes, which were now a stormy blue. You slowly nodded, then shook your head. 

“No, it—it’s a business dinner. We’d be talking business the whole time.”  
“While he bought your meal? Just the two of you?”  
“Well, it would be on the company’s tab.”

Steve blinked as he looked around his office. His mind was churning and his chest felt tight, but he couldn’t say why. He licked his lips, then loosened his grip on the chair. He shook out his hands under his desk, then met your eyes. 

“Why are you telling me this?”

You shrugged your shoulders. Steve swallowed, taking a sip from his quickly-cooling coffee. 

“Do you want my permission?”  
“No. I mean … I don’t know. This is weird.”

He slowly nodded and you looked up to meet his eyes. 

“Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

Steve swallowed down the  _ YES  _ he wanted to yell. He didn’t want you going anywhere with  _ anyone _ , especially not to a “business dinner” with a guy you work for. When he didn’t answer, you spoke again.

“If you think it’s a bad idea, I won’t go.”

He met your eyes, then glanced down at the papers spread over his desk. He picked up the coffee cup, draining the rest of it, praying you couldn’t see that his hand was shaking. He licked his lips as he set the cup back down, then smiled at you. 

“I think you should go.”

Your eyes widened just a bit and he shrugged. 

“It’s a chance to further your career, right?”

You nodded, and he gripped the armrests of his chair again.

“And I mean, it’s not like you have anyone holding you back. We’re not together, so why should it matter?”

The look that crossed your face for just a moment sent an ache through his heart, but you quickly schooled your face into a cool smile. 

“Right. You’re … yeah.”

You looked down, blinking quickly, then pushed to your feet. 

“I better let you get back to grading. I’ll see you at the appointment in two weeks, right?”

Steve flashed you a smile, leaning back and tapping the calendar on the wall, where a green heart marked the day. 

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

He picked up a pen and you walked out of his office, the smile falling from your face as soon as your back was turned. You quickly made your way out of the building, the tears not falling until you felt the sunlight on your face. 

Steve, meanwhile, set his pen on the desk and rubbed at the ache in the center of his chest, wondering why he suddenly felt bereft as soon as you were out of sight.

 

* * *

“So should we get right down to business?”

You glanced up from the menu at the man across the table from you, looking dashing in his suit and tie. You’d never really been into guys with long hair, but the man in front of you could definitely pull it off. You managed to tear your eyes away from his honey-colored locks as the waiter walked up , and the two of you placed your orders. He didn’t try to order for you—because nothing irritated you more than that—and once the waiter had left, Thor turned back to you. He lifted his eyebrows and you smiled, nodding your head. He smiled as he spoke.

“Okay. Here’s what I was thinking. I know you like your job, because I’ve spoken with your supervisor and a few of your coworkers. They all had nothing but glowing things to say about you. Your work is impeccable.”  
“Thank you.”

You could feel your cheeks warming, and Thor gave you a smile before he went on. 

“I’m starting another company and I’d love to promote you.”

Your eyes widened. 

“In the new company?”  
“Absolutely. You know the ins and outs of the company right now, and your expertise could be put to good use in the new start-up.”

You blinked. 

“I don’t know what to say.”  
“Well, I haven’t exactly told you everything.”

You raised an eyebrow and he sighed.

“The new company is in Paris.”

You blinked as your mouth fell open. 

“Paris?”

He nodded, and you spoke again.

“As in Paris, France?”  
“I’m afraid so.”

You stared down at the table and Thor reached across it, taking your hand. 

“You don’t have to answer me now. I don’t need to know your answer right this second. Take some time. Think it through.”  
“Thor, I—“  
“Please, Y/N. Just weigh your options.”

You blinked a few more times, then nodded. He gave you a dazzling smile, letting go of your hand as your food arrived at the table. Your mind was churning so much that you missed Thor’s question, looking up only when silence roared in your ears. You felt your cheeks begun to burn. 

“I’m so sorry, what?”

Thor smiled. 

“Would you like a glass of wine? Some other cocktail?”

_ More than you could imagine _ were the words you wanted to say, but they didn’t leave your lips. You smiled. 

“No, thank you, I don’t drink. Water would be fine.”

Thor nodded at the waiter, mumbling under his breath. 

“Will you do me a favor, darling?”

You met his eyes and nodded. 

“Forget about business for the rest of the night. Let’s just … get to know each other better.”

You smiled and nodded, ignoring the twinge in your chest those words brought. 

 

* * *

The rest of the night flew by, and when you’d refused the taxi, Thor insisted on walking you home. He wanted to know all about you, where you’d grown up, your family, where you went to college, your friends. You felt like you were lying to him by not telling him about the baby you were carrying, but you didn’t feel very guilty about that.

No, the guilt came with every other breath, and with the fact that Steve was the one and only thought in your mind. 

You stopped outside your building and smiled up at him. 

“This is my stop.”  
“Very nice. Is it true that your new brother-in-law owns this building?”

You smiled. 

“Hate to say that’s just a rumor. He does own the floor where our apartments are, but the rest of the building belongs to someone else.”

Thor shook his head. 

“You can’t trust anything you hear these days.”

You laughed, then turned to face him. 

“I had a good time tonight.”

A smile lit up his handsome face. 

“As did I.”

You looked into his eyes for a long minute, glancing away at the sound of a horn honking down the street. You looked back to him, going to open your mouth and tell him the truth when his lips were gently touching yours. His hand moved to rest against your cheek and you pulled back, keeping your eyes closed. 

“Y/N?”  
“I’m so sorry.”  
“Oh god. No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have … I just thought—“

You shook your head, laying a hand on his arm. 

“You’re a wonderful man, and I had a great time tonight, but …”

He let out a breath, a smile playing on his lips. 

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

You felt the tears rush to your eyes as you nodded and he kept smiling. 

“I knew there had to be someone. A woman like you isn’t one to remain single for long.”

You blinked and he lifted your hand to his lips. 

“I’m sorry I missed my chance.”  
“Thor—“  
“The job offer still stands.”  
“I can’t move to Paris.”

He nodded at your whispered words, then smiled at you once more, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. 

“It’ll always be there, if you ever need it.”

You blinked, going to shake your head, but he turned away, letting go of your hand and putting his hands in the pockets of his coat. 

“Have a good night, Miss Potts.”

You watched him walk down the street until you couldn’t see him anymore and you lifted a hand to rest against your belly as you let out a shaky breath. You turned to the building, stopping when you saw a bouquet of flowers sticking out of the trash can near the door. You sighed, smiling at Peter the doorman, who was singing and playing air guitar as he opened the door for you. You shook your head, humming along to “Rubberband Man,” going up on your tiptoes as you walked to the elevator, ready to get to your apartment and take your shoes off. You pulled your phone from your bag, tapping it against your hand before typing out a message. 

_ Are you busy? I think we need to talk. _

The elevator opened and you stepped into it, biting your lip as you looked back at your phone, then sent the message, waiting for the read receipt to pop up, waiting for the three little bubbles to appear at the bottom of the message. 

But they never came. 

You walked into your apartment and slipped out of your shoes at the door, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. You heard Bucky’s bedsprings bounce and you made a face before taking your water and your shoes to your bedroom. 

You changed into your pajamas, turning on the television to drown out Bucky's headboard banging against the wall. You crawled into your bed and pulled the covers up, staring at your TV to see what was on. You grabbed your phone, eyebrows crinkling when it appeared that your message hadn’t been read yet. You tapped the phone against your hand, then dialed Steve’s number. 

_ “Hey, you just missed me. Leave a message and maybe I’ll get back to you. If you’re lucky.” _

You smiled. 

“Steve, it’s Y/N. I, uh … I think we need to talk. I’m free tomorrow, since it’s Saturday, so just text me and let me know what’s up. I … okay. Bye.”

You giggled as you hung up, shaking your head at how stupid you know that message was. You snuggled down in the bed, closing your eyes as sleep overtook you.


	7. The One With the New Girl

You walked into Pepper and Tony’s apartment, seeing Christine sitting at the table, scrolling through her phone. She smiled at you and you walked over, leaning over the back of one of the chairs.

“Guess what.”

Christine raised her eyebrows and you smiled.

“Baby’s the size of a brussel sprout this week.”  
“Aw! Our little brussel sprout.”

You smiled and pulled the chair out, sitting across the table from her.

“Yep. Never mind the leg cramps that wake me up at night and the sore, oversized boobs. I’m having a brussel sprout.”

Christine smiled.

“This is so much fun. I’ve never cared about random fruits and veggies until now.”

You laughed, resting back in the chair and laying a hand on your stomach. Christine nodded to you.

“Can you feel anything yet?”

You shook your head.

“My app says the baby should be moving around and stuff by now, but it’ll still be a while before I can feel it. Maybe we’ll get to see at the doctor’s appointment next week.”  
“How exciting!”

You and Christine looked over as Pepper came out of the bedroom wrapped in her robe, yawning widely. She shook her head at you and waved towards the door.

“I love you dearly, but I need coffee.”  
“I’ll go, but real quick. Have either of you heard from Steve?”

Christine looked down at her phone and Pepper shook her head as she yawned again.

“Not today, why?”

You shrugged.

“I called him the other night and left a voicemail and he hasn’t responded. I texted him too, but I didn’t hear from him all weekend. So he’s either ignoring me or he’s turned off his read receipts.”

Pepper shook her head and you sighed.

“If you see or hear from him, ask him to call me, will you? I’ve got to go to work.”

Pepper nodded and you blew her a kiss before you left. When the door closed behind you, Pepper turned to Christine, crossing her arms over her chest.

“All right, spill.”  
“What?”  
“You went strangely quiet when she asked about Steve. What’s up?”

Christine sighed, tossing her phone to the table.

“It’s not my business to tell.”  
“Like that has ever stopped us.”

Christine sighed again, nodding towards the coffee pot. Pepper pressed the button and it began percolating. She turned back, sucking in a breath as Christine met her eyes and shook her head.

“You’re not going to like it.”

* * *

 

You were standing in the kitchen, slowly stirring a large pot of what was now potato soup when Bucky walked in. He frowned at you and you shook your head.

“I don’t know. It sounded good and nothing has sounded good to me in forever.”  
“Well, I’m game. Who cares if it’s ninety degrees outside?”

You smiled, glancing over your shoulder at him.

“It’s actually soup this time. Remember last time when it was like mashed potatoes?”  
“Hey, it was still good.”

You smiled, grabbing two bowls from the cabinet and filling one for Bucky, handing it to him before filling yours. He sat at the bar, blowing on a spoonful of the soup before eating it. He groaned, nodding his head.

“God, this is good.”

You smiled, taking a bite of your own soup, eyes widening when you swallowed.

“It is good.”  
“Hey, maybe we finally found something our little gummy bear likes.”

You smiled, glancing down at your not-yet-blossoming stomach. Bucky had studied your sonogram photos, then took to trying to convince everyone that the baby looked like a gummy bear. It had worked, to your amusement. You lifted the spoon to your lips, blowing on it before taking another bite.

“It’s the size of a brussel sprout this week.”  
“Aw, those are so little!”

You laughed, stirring your spoon around your soup.

“Hey, Buck?”

He made a noise because his mouth was full, and you couldn’t help the smile before you spoke.

“Have you heard from Steve lately?”

He nodded as he swallowed.

“Yeah, I talked to him when he got out of class earlier.”

You pursed your lips and nodded your head. You glanced at the counter, then set your bowl down.

“Do you want something to drink?”

Bucky nodded and you walked to the fridge.

“Beer, water, or apple juice?”

Bucky laughed.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”  
“You know what? You can get your own drink.”  
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I will take whatever you give me.”

You rolled your eyes and grabbed a beer, sliding it across the bar to him. He twisted off the top and tossed it towards the trash can, both of you wincing when it bounced off the side and clinked onto the floor.

You stared into your bowl and Bucky took a drink from his beer.

“Hey.”

You lifted your eyes to his and he smiled at you.

“What’s up?”

You blew out a breath, leaning over the counter.

“I think Steve’s mad at me.”  
“What makes you think that?”  
“I called him like three days ago and he still hasn’t called me back. I texted him and he’s either ignoring it or he’s turned off his read receipts. I tried to call him again and it just goes straight to voicemail, so if you’ve talked to him, then it’s just me.”

Bucky shook his head.

“Why would he be mad at you?”

You shook your head.

“I don’t know. I mean, I went and talked to him about my business dinner the other night and he said he was fine with it.”  
“And you believed him?”

You rolled your eyes.

“Don’t start.”  
“Come on, Y/N. You told the father of your child that you were going on a date—don’t even try to feed me that ‘business dinner’ bullshit—with another guy and he was fine with it?”  
“He said he was! Am I supposed to call him a liar?”  
“I don’t know, did you tell him that you were dying for him to stake his claim with you?”

Your eyes widened and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

You swallowed, shaking your head.

“It’s not—“  
“I’ve got eyes, Y/N. We all do. We all see you two dancing around each other and quite frankly, we’re all sick of it. Tell him you want more. What’s the worst he can say?”  
“He can say no.”

Bucky’s eyebrows furrowed when he looked to you. You shook your head.

“You look like that, so you’ve never had to deal with rejection. But for some people, the fear of rejection is more powerful than anything else.”  
“Even if the other person feels the same way?”

You closed your eyes, shaking your head. You pushed your bowl away and started to walk to your bedroom.

“Y/N. Y/N, come on. Don’t—“

You shut your door and Bucky hung his head, blowing out a breath.

* * *

 

When two more days went by without you hearing from Steve, more texts ignored and more calls going straight to voicemail, you decided you’d had enough. You grabbed your purse, told your coworkers you were taking a long lunch, and rode the subway to Brooklyn. You were nervous, of course, so nervous you wanted to throw up, but there was a little piece of you that was irritated, and you were clinging to that.

You bypassed the coffee shop this time, walking straight to the college and into the building where Steve’s office was. You made your way down the hall, only to discover that his door was shut. It was dark behind the blinds on his door and you blew out a breath as you lifted a hand to rest against the wood.

“Can I help you?”

You turned to see a girl standing behind you, curly brown hair hiding one side of her face. You gave her a smile and pointed back at Steve’s office with your thumb.

“Is … surely he’s not Mr. Rogers.”

The girl gave a soft laugh.

“Professor Rogers?”  
“That makes more sense.”  
“Most of us just call him Steve, though.”

You felt your cheeks warm.

“Yeah, he’s easy to get along with, huh?”  
“He’s a great professor.”

You nodded, crossing your arms over your chest. The girl stepped forward, nodding to you.

“He’s in class right now. And he’s got another class right after it. He won’t be back in his office until later this afternoon.”

You sighed, moving a hand to fuss with your hair.

“Figures. I never got him to tell me his schedule.”  
“You can leave a note for him, if you want. On the board or on a post it. We usually just leave the post it on the doors if they’re not in the office.”

You smiled.

“Thank you.”

She nodded, turning and walking away. You thought of leaving him a note, then decided against it. You let out a breath and left the building, going to the coffee shop you’d found before to try and find something for your suddenly ravenous stomach.

* * *

 

Watching the kids walk by with their backpacks on and headphones in their ears really made you miss college. Not the work, but the experience. Spending every waking moment with friends, staying out all night and then dragging to class the next morning. Stressing over tests and studying until you fell asleep, making a mad dash to class the next morning in an attempt to not be late.

You sighed, taking another sip of lemonade and watching out the window. The bell above the door rang and you glanced that way as you took a bite of the cinnamon-chocolate swirl pastry you’d been unable to pass up.

Your breath caught in your throat when you saw Steve reach up and take the sunglasses off his nose. You blinked, a smile coming to your lips.

It quickly slid from your face when you saw the woman beside him, taking sunglasses from her face as well. You took in a breath when you watched them walk to the counter, Steve’s hand on her lower back.

You felt your face flush and you could hear your blood rushing in your ears. You closed your eyes and took in a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly.

“Ma’am? Are you okay?”

You looked up into the worried eyes of the waitress who had brought your things to you. You pushed a smile onto your face.

“Yes. I just have to go.”  
“Can I get you a refill?”

You shook your head, standing up and smiling at her.

“Thank you, but no.”

She smiled and nodded, and you grabbed your purse before looking to the counter. Steve was staring back at you and you felt your breath catch in your throat. You waited for a moment, but when he dipped his head to listen to whatever the blonde with him was saying, you turned and ran out of the shop.

* * *

 

Pepper looked up as her front door opened and she smiled before she got a good look at you. She stood up, rounding the couch.

“What happened?”

You shook your head, tears finally falling from your eyes.

“I messed up.”  
“What did you do?”

You shook your head again, sobbing when Pepper took hold of your arms. You couldn’t talk, so she just wrapped you in a hug, turning you and meeting Tony’s worried eyes when he stepped from the bedroom. He walked over and kissed the top of your head, wrapping you in his arms from the other side, only making you cry harder.

* * *

 

“I’ll kill him.”  
“Oh, sit down.”

Bucky stopped pacing to glare at Pepper. She shrugged her shoulders, fingers gently drifting through your hair. Bucky sighed, coming to sit on the edge of the coffee table, watching you as your shoulders slowly moved up and down as you breathed. You’d finally fallen asleep just a few minutes ago, with your head in Pepper’s lap.

Bucky shook his head, looking up to meet Pepper’s eyes.

“What is he thinking?”

She shook her head, then let out a breath.

“Christine said he had a woman at his office that he said he was taking to lunch or something the other day.”  
“That stupid  _dipshit_.”  
“Bucky.”  
“No, don’t ‘Bucky’ me.”

Pepper shushed him and he blew out a breath, quieting his voice, but hissing out the words.

“You can’t tell me you don’t see it.”

Pepper rolled her eyes.

“Of course I see it. The only people who don’t see it are Y/N and Steve.”  
“So what the fuck is he doing seeing a woman he works with? The last I heard, there wasn’t anyone there he was even remotely interested in.”

Pepper shrugged.

“That sounds like something his best friend could talk about with him.”

Bucky rolled his eyes.

“If we’re taking sides here, I’m on hers.”

Bucky pointed at you and Pepper raised an eyebrow. Bucky shrugged.

“Call me misogynistic or whatever, but pregnancy trumps lifelong friendship.”

Pepper smiled.

“That’s not misogynistic. It’s sweet. But—“

Bucky shook his head as he pointed at her.

“Don’t even start.”

She made a motion like she was zipping her lips and Bucky sighed.

“Do you think I can carry her across the hall without her waking up?”

Pepper sighed.

“I specifically chose this soft, expensive couch for reasons such as this. Let’s see if we can just let her sleep.”

Bucky nodded, helping Pepper finagle her way out from under you, placing a pillow under your head and covering you with a blanket. Bucky gently smoothed out your hair and sighed as he stood up. Pepper rubbed his back as she walked him to the door.

“You’re a good man, Bucky Barnes.”

He smiled as he kissed her cheek, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked across the hall.

* * *

 

It was dark when you woke up, and you winced when an ache shot through your lower back. You sat up, wincing again, lifting a hand to your messy hair when you looked around, realizing where you were.

You sighed, pulling the blanket around your shoulders, staring at Pepper’s living room in the dark. The light above the stove was on and you smiled before you got to your feet, stretching your sore muscles. You made your way to the kitchen, opening the fridge before closing it again. You let out a shaky breath, then shook your head. You walked to one of the almost floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out of it, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

_“Hey, what are you doing up here?”_

_Steve smiled as he glanced over his shoulder. You raised an eyebrow when you saw him sitting on the ledge and he rolled his eyes, still smiling._

_“I’m not gonna jump.”_   
_“Well, I’d feel better if we could talk on level ground.”_

_Steve’s smile widened as he spun around, jumping down to where you and he were on equal footing. He reached out a hand and you laid yours in his as the two of you walked to a bench and sat down, sitting in silence for a moment._

_“You okay?”_

_You nodded, looking up at him._

_“Are you?”_

_He nodded, and you smiled, bumping his shoulder with yours._

_“You were gone when I woke up the other day.”_

_Steve sighed._

_“Yeah, I … I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want you to think I was regretting it, but I didn’t want it to be awkward either. And I didn’t want Bucky to see me sneaking out of your room, so…”_

_He shrugged his wide shoulders, then glanced at you._

_“Do you regret it?”_

_You felt your cheeks warm._

_“No, I don’t.”_

_Steve nodded._

_“Good. Me either.”_

_You gave his hand a squeeze and he met your eyes. You shook your head, leaning over to rest your head on his shoulder as you spoke softly._

_“What are we doing?”_

_Steve sighed, turning to look at the tops of the buildings around you._

_“I don’t know.”_   
_“Do you want something here?”_

_Steve sighed again, letting go of your hand as he stood and began pacing around._

_“I don’t … I don’t know. Do you?”_

_You shrugged._

_“I mean … I had a great time the other night, but …”_   
_“But?”_

_You stood up as well, shaking your head at him._

_“You’re one of my best friends. You … you’re my safe place, Steve. If something went wrong, I don’t … I don’t know if I could handle it if I lost you.”_

_He walked over and wrapped you in a hug. You clutched him tightly, tears welling in your eyes as you put your chin on his shoulder. He just held you for the longest time, until he finally spoke, voice low._

_“I can’t lose you either. I love you, Y/N. I don’t think what we did was a mistake, but … maybe we should keep it as a one-time thing.”_   
_“And just between us?”_   
_“I’m not about to kiss and tell. Our secret’s safe with me.”_

_You nodded, sniffling. You stepped back from him, wiping your fingers under your eyes._

_“Don’t cry.”_   
_“I’m not. We just don’t usually get this deep.”_

_Steve chuckled, laying his hands on your shoulders._

_“I’ll always be here for you. No matter what, okay?”_

_You nodded._

_“Right back at you, buddy.”_

_A wide smile came to his face._

_“Thanks, buddy.”_

_He pulled you in for another hug, kissing the top of your head. You closed your eyes as you took in a deep breath, resting your head against his chest._

You blinked as tears slid down your cheeks, sniffling before you lifted the blanket to wipe your eyes. You turned to walk back to the couch, gasping as a pain shot through your lower stomach. Your eyes were wide as you moved a hand under your belly button, feeling your heartbeat kick up. You didn’t feel anything else, but the fear in your heart was almost palpable.

You wanted to call Steve so badly, and tears came to your eyes as you slowly made your way to the couch again. You bit your lips to try to hold back the sob, glancing over when Pepper’s bedroom door opened.

“Hey, is everything okay out here?”

You shook your head, letting out a quiet sob as Tony walked over to you, sitting beside you and pulling you to his side.

“What is it? You okay?”  
“I don’t … I don’t know.”  
“What happened?”

You still had your hand low on your belly, and Tony leaned back to look at you.

“Are you hurting?”

You shook your head.

“No, I … I just had this pain and it … it scared me.”  
“What kind of pain?”  
“Like a cramp.”  
“Did it stop?”

You nodded.

“Yeah, it was … just one, but …”

Tony sighed, pulling you to his side again, resting his head on yours.

“Try and relax.”  
“I am. It’s hard.”  
“I know.”

You gave a shaky exhale, speaking softly.

“Are you okay?”

Tony nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just checking on you.”

You tapped his leg and he let go of you. You turned to face him, one eyebrow raising.

“You’re fine? Waking up at …”

You glanced at the clock on the stove in the kitchen.

“Three seventeen A.M. is normal behavior for you?”

Tony sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

“Bad dream. I managed to get out of this one without waking Pep, so I thought I’d come chill out here and …”  
“You forgot I was here, didn’t you?”

Tony winced and you gave a quiet laugh.

“Do you have bad dreams often?”

Tony smiled at you.

“That is not your concern. You’ve got bigger worries to deal with. Go get in the bed with Pepper.”  
“But if you want to go back to sleep—“  
“I’ve got a guest room or this couch.”

You bit your lip and Tony nodded, the smile still on his face.

“Go. I’ll be fine.”

You sighed, closing your eyes as he kissed your forehead. You stood up and left the blanket behind, rubbing your arms as you walked into the bedroom. You silently made your way to the bed and pulled the covers back.

“Tony?”  
“Guess again.”

Pepper sat up, yawning as she rubbed her eyes.

“You okay?”

You nodded.

“Tony thought we could switch places for a while.”  
“Is he okay?”  
“Bad dream.”

Pepper sighed as the two of you settled down in the California King. You pulled the plush covers over your body and yawned.

“He could come back in here. There’s more than enough room for the three of us.”  
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

You gave a soft laugh, yawning again as your heavy eyes drifted closed. Pepper reached over and laced her fingers with yours, and you smiled as you drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

You woke up when sunshine was warming your face. You blinked and slowly sat up, pushing your hair out of your face and glancing around. The room you were in was unfamiliar, yet …

You smiled at the brand new picture on the nightstand, one of Pepper and Tony’s first kiss as husband and wife. You frowned when you realized you’d rolled all the way to Pepper’s side of the bed and you shook your head. You crawled out of the bed, yawning and stretching. You grabbed Pepper’s brush and fought with your tangled hair, tying it into a ponytail until you could get across the hall to your shower. You walked to the bedroom door and opened it, coming to a stop as soon as your feet hit the threshold.

“Hey, there she is!”

Tony jumped up from the table, walking to hand you a small bottle of Sprite. He opened it and leaned in closely, speaking under his breath.

“Play it cool.”  
“What the hell is this?”  
“Just smile and we’ll get you out as soon as we can.”

You pushed a smile onto your face, taking a sip from the bubbly Sprite. All of your friends were gathered in the kitchen, along with one extra. Bucky turned to you, his smile going apologetic.

“We were wondering how long you’d be out.”

You glanced at the clock on the stove behind him, eyes widening.

“I had a … rough night last night.”

Bucky’s brows furrowed and you gave a slight shake of your head. You looked to Pepper’s back at the stove, Christine gnawing on her bottom lip as she stood beside her. Steve leaned back from where he’d been whispering to the guest, turning to face you.

“This is Y/N. Y/N, this is Sharon. We work together.”

You nodded as you recognized the woman sitting beside him as the woman that was with him in the coffee shop the day before. You pushed a smile onto your face and held out a hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.”  
“You too. I’ve heard so much about all of you; it’s nice to finally put faces with the names.”

You nodded, suddenly feeling the walls closing in.

“Well, I hate to be the one to leave the party so early, but I’ve got to get to work. I’m … incredibly late as it is.”  
“It’s Saturday, honey.”

You looked to Christine, shaking your head.

“God. See, I don’t even know what day it is! Maybe I should see about getting some more sleep.”  
“Y/N—“  
“I think I’m getting a migraine. It was so nice to meet you, Sharon.”  
“You too.”

You set the Sprite on the counter as you hurried to the door, closing it behind you before you sprinted across the hall. You ran for the bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet and rocking back and forth as you wrapped your arms around your stomach.

“Hey, hey. Breathe.”

You shook your head, gasping out a breath, only realizing tears were cascading down your cheeks when Bucky’s gentle hands wiped them away.

“It’s okay. You’re okay.”

You shook your head, sobbing out a breath. Bucky helped you off your knees, pulling you to him, both of you sitting on the bathroom floor as he held you while you cried.

* * *

 

“What happened to me?”

You were finally off the bathroom floor, but now in a warm bubble bath. Bucky had insisted on it, and you weren’t about to argue with him.

“What do you mean?”

Christine was on the bathroom floor now, flipping through a magazine while Bucky ordered a pizza, because that finally sounded appetizing to you and they were jumping to capitalize on it.

You glanced over at her, saw her make a face before she turned the page in her magazine. She flicked her eyes towards you, then sat up straighter.

“What?”

You shook your head.

“When did I become the kind of girl who cried on the bathroom floor because a guy brought a girl to meet us?”  
“Okay, first of all, it wasn’t ‘a guy.’ It was Steve. And you love him.”  
“I do not.”  
“Keep telling yourself that.”

You narrowed your eyes and Christine shrugged.

“This whole thing is weird to me. Yeah, I know you had a date the other night, but—“  
“It was a business dinner.”

Christine rolled her eyes.

“Can we just cut the bullshit? You went on a date. Steve said he was fine with it, but the next day he’s meeting some woman he works with for coffee because he’s ‘been wanting to get to know her.’ Okay, first of all? He didn’t give one fuck about her until you went on your date.”  
“He told me to go!”  
“And you believed him?!”

You blinked, and Christine got to her knees, shaking her head.

“I swear to God, you and Steve are the dumbest college-educated people I have ever met. And I know Bucky Barnes.”  
“I heard that!”

You couldn’t help the giggle, and Christine shook her head again.

“If you ask me—“  
“Which nobody has!”

Christine ignored Bucky and continued talking.

“You and Steve need to sit down and have a long talk and put it all on the table. He doesn’t care about Sharon like he does you. He needs to let her go before he hurts her.”  
“Chris …”

She sighed, moving to touch the side of the tub.

“Honey… it’s okay for you to like him. It’s okay for you to want more with him. You’re having a baby together, Y/N. It’s okay to give the two of you a shot and see what happens.”  
“And what happens when it ends?”

You looked up at her, tears sparkling in your eyes. She shook her head.

“What if it doesn’t?”

You shook your head, swallowing before you spoke.

“I don’t want to lose him.”  
“So you’ll let your heart break instead? You’ll let the chance go by and always wonder what might have been while you schlep your kid to him every other weekend and holiday?”

You looked at the bubbles in the water and Christine sighed.

“Don’t give up on him, Y/N. I’ll—“  
“Don’t. He … he’s made his decision.”

Christine closed her eyes and you coughed before you shifted in the water, sloshing it around.

“Can you hand me that towel? It’s getting cold.”

Christine put a towel on the closed toilet seat, grabbing her magazine and leaving the bathroom. You leaned back in the tub, closing your eyes and taking a breath before sliding under the water.

* * *

 

You stepped into Pepper’s apartment a few days later, giving her a smile. You walked to the fruit basket on the counter, sifting through it before picking up a lime. Tony narrowed his eyes, then shrugged.

“Want a margarita? It’s a little early in the morning, and it’ll have to be virgin, which is a travesty, but …”

You rolled your eyes at Tony, then held the lime in front of your belly.

“That’s how big it is this week.”  
“Oh wow!”

Tony’s eyes widened and you smiled.

“One site said lime, another said passion fruit. I don’t know where you can get passion fruits in Manhattan, so I’m sticking with lime.”

Pepper smiled.

“Little baby lime.”  
“Hey, have you heard from Steve today?”

Pepper and Tony shook their heads. Tony picked the paper back up and went back to reading as he spoke.

“Did you try texting him?”

You shook your head, putting the lime back in the basket.

“He doesn’t answer my texts, so I stopped bothering him.”  
“Y/N—“  
“It’s fine. I’ve got to get to work. Love you.”

You left the apartment and Tony and Pepper exchanged a glance and a sigh before he took her hand and lifted it to his lips.

* * *

 

You stood outside the building, hands in the pockets of the light jacket you had on. You were constantly cold these days, even in the August heat. You checked your watch, then blew out a breath. You tapped your foot on the ground, then picked up your phone and dialed the number to Brooklyn College, typing in the extension for Steve’s office. It rang and rang, until an unfamiliar voice picked up.

_“Thank you for calling BC. This is Michelle, how can I help you?”_

You swallowed.

“Uh, yes. I’m trying to get in touch with Steve Rogers?”  
 _“If your call bounced here he’s not in his office.”_  
 _“_ Do you have any idea when he’ll be back?”  
 _“He has a class that’s finishing up right now, but he’s blocked out the rest of the afternoon.”_

Your heart gave a thump in your chest, and Michelle spoke again.

_“If you ask me, he’s probably taking his girlfriend for a long lunch.”_  
“Girlfriend?”  
 _“Yeah, he and the new English comp instructor are the talk of the campus.”_

You closed your eyes, pushing a smile onto your face.

“Thank you, Michelle.”  
 _“Did you want to leave a message for him?”_

You blinked back tears.

“No, uh … no. But thanks.”

You hung up the phone, sniffling and dropping it into your purse. You gave a shaky sigh, rubbing your hands over your face before turning and walking into the building alone. You rode the elevator to the third floor, walking into an office and signing your name on the sheet. You took a seat and glanced around, fingers itching for your phone. You could call Pepper or Christine or even Bucky and they’d be there in no time.

You sat back in the chair instead, shaky hand going to pick up a magazine. You should probably get used to doing things on your own, right?

_“I’ll see you at the appointment in two weeks, right?”_

_Steve flashed you a smile, leaning back and tapping the calendar on the wall, where a green heart marked the day._

_“I wouldn’t miss it.”_

You blew out a shaky breath, flipping open the magazine, waiting for the nurse to call your name.

 


	8. The One With All the Cards On the Table

Steve unlocked his office door and set the books he was carrying on his desk. He laid his hands on it, bending over and letting out a breath. He closed his eyes, fingers curling as he pressed down on the top of the desk.

He  _hated_ this.

He straightened and moved his hands, rubbing them together as he stared at the framed diplomas on the wall. There was a knock at his door and he glanced back, giving Sharon a smile when she poked her head in.

“Hey.”  
“Hey back. Plans tonight?”

Steve shook his head.

“You?”

She smiled, leaning against the doorframe.

“There’s a girl in the economics department that asked if I wanted to meet for drinks.”  
“The blonde?”  
“Redhead.”

Steve smiled.

“That’s great!”  
“You know, I don’t think I could have even made one friend if it hadn’t been for you carting me everywhere and introducing me to everyone.”

Steve shook his head.

“I think you would have been fine on your own. I just … gave you a little push.”

Sharon smiled again, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Are you still keeping up the tutoring today?”

Steve sighed and shrugged.

“I’m not sure. I …”

He shook his head as he let his sentence trail off and Sharon spoke softly.

“You know you’ve got to talk to her.”

Steve sighed again.

“I know. It’s just …”  
“Yeah, I know. It’s complicated.”

He shook his head, reaching a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. He turned back towards her, he and Sharon exchanging a frown when a heated exchange could be heard down the hall.

_“Is he down there?”_   
_“Sir, you can’t—“_   
_“Watch me.”_

Steve’s brows furrowed.

“Bucky?”

Steve and Sharon stepped into the hall, Steve’s eyebrows raising when he saw an irate Bucky stomping towards him. Steve subtly stepped in front of Sharon, shaking his head.

“Buck, what—“  
“It would be in your best interest, Rogers, to keep your damn mouth shut. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Steve blinked and Sharon tapped his shoulder, whispering to him.

“I’m gonna go.”

She stepped away and slipped into her office and Steve shook his head as Bucky invaded his personal space. Steve took a step back, but Bucky was right there with him. Steve stepped into his office and rounded the desk, leaning back when Bucky slammed his hands on top of it.

“Buck, what the hell?!”  
“I know you got some brains, college boy, but you sure as  _fuck_ aren’t using them, are you?”

Steve blinked, and Bucky shook his head.

“You’re a fucking idiot.”  
“Where is this coming from?”

Bucky shook his head again, one hand rubbing his stubbled chin. He let out a breath, then turned to Steve, a finger pointing towards the hallway.

“That chick. Sharon?”

Steve nodded, and Bucky went on, dropping his hand to his side.

“I’m sure she’s real nice. She’s cute. I’m sure she’s smart. But Steve. Come on.”  
“What?”

Bucky licked his lips before he spoke.

“She’s cool with the fact that your heart belongs to someone else?”

Steve rolled his eyes.

“ _That’s_ what this is about?”  
“No, it’s the fact that the sun’s shining today and it’s kind of pissing me off. Yeah, dumbass!  _This_ is about you and Y/N and how it’s time for you to get your head out of your ass.”

Steve sat in his chair, moving some papers around.

“There’s nothing with me and Y/N.”  
“Nothing’s gonna be a pretty big something in six more months.”  
“It’s a little more than six months.”  
“No, it’s actually right at.”

Steve looked up at Bucky.

“I guess as the father of the child, you’d know, huh? Oh, wait.”

Bucky smiled, sucking on his tongue.

“If you’re looking for a fight, Stevie, you’re barking up the right tree. I’m  _dying_ to rearrange those perfect teeth of yours.”  
“What the fuck is your real problem? That I haven’t been taking Y/N’s calls?”  
“That you’re parading women around her and ignoring her when she’s carrying your baby, you stupid fucker! You’re hurting her, you dumb bastard, and because she lives with me, I have to deal with the fallout. So yeah, I’ve got a problem with that. Lifelong friends or not, I’m not going to stand aside anymore while you treat a woman we both love in very different ways like shit.”

Steve set his jaw. It had been years since he and Bucky had gotten physical with their fights, but it sounded like a damn good idea right then.

“So we’re just ignoring how that woman, the one who’s carrying my baby, went on a date with another man?”  
“Christ, Steve, that was two weeks ago. She’s tried to talk to you since then, but you won’t answer your goddamn phone!”

He knew what a dick move it was, but he just couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t stand to talk to her, mainly because of the ache it caused in his heart. He leaned back in his chair, eyes moving to the calendar under the clock on the wall. He saw the little green heart in the corner of today’s date and he frowned.

“Buck, what’s the date?”  
“Are you kidding me?”  
“Just tell me.”

Bucky glanced at his watch, answering the question.

_“I’m going to see you at the appointment in two weeks, right?_

_Steve flashed a smile, leaning back and tapping the calendar on the wall, where a green heart marked the day._

_“I wouldn’t miss it.”_

Steve blinked, eyes going to the watch on his wrist.

“Fuck. _Fuck.”_  
“Steve?”

Steve pushed a hand through his hair, dragging the other down his face. He stood up from the chair, pushing Bucky out of the way as he walked to the door, then started jogging down the hall, leaving a confused Bucky in his wake.

* * *

 

You sat on the edge of the exam table, dressed in the stupid paper gown, watching your toes as your feet dangled. You decided that tomorrow you’d talk Pepper into getting a pedicure, and you were already debating colors.

You let out a breath as you looked around, wondering why in God’s name you were thinking of mixing sour cream and onion chips with spaghetti and meatballs when the door opened.

“Miss Potts, so sorry to have kept you waiting.”

You smiled.

“No worries. They said you were finishing up a delivery.”  
“Babies have no sense of time, I’m afraid. Or decency, when their doctor has a full clinic booked.”

You gave a soft laugh and shook the hand Dr. Barton offered. He sat on the rolling stool and opened your chart.

“Any problems since the last time we saw each other?”  
“Other than  _many_ more food aversions, no.”

He smiled, making a note.

“Still tired?”  
“Yes. My boobs are still sore—more so, if I’m being honest. I’m still super emotional, too.”  
“Hormone surges.”

You nodded, and Clint was quiet for a moment before he spoke softly, eyes cast down at your chart.

“I did notice that your blood pressure is a little elevated today.”  
“Yeah, that’s what the nurse said.”  
“It’s not too bad, but it is higher than last time you were here. Out of range for you personally, according to your chart.”

You nodded again, and he lifted his eyes to yours.

“Is everything okay?”

You blinked, meeting his eyes. After a beat, you smiled.

“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine.”

He slowly nodded, and you could just tell that he didn’t believe you. You couldn’t help yourself as your face fell and tears gathered in your eyes. He grabbed a few tissues from the box on the counter and passed them to you. You nodded your thanks, pressing a tissue to your eyes as he spoke.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you’re here alone today.”

You nodded and sniffed, looking down at your hands.

“Yeah, I … I messed that up pretty good.”  
“I’m sorry.”

You nodded again, wiping the tears from your face. Clint rolled closer to you, forcing you to meet his kind eyes.

“I don’t know the situation, and I don’t need to. What I do need to tell you is that stress is not good right now. Not for you and definitely not for the baby. I know that’s much easier said than done, but … you’ve got to try.”  
“I know. I’m sorry.”  
“Hey, you don’t need to be sorry.”

He gave you a soft smile.

“This is a trying time, and it’s not necessarily going to be easy. Your hormones are going to be all over the place for the next few months, which is going to make you feel like you’ve been taken over by an alien invasion or something. Which is not too far off the mark, but…”

You gave a soft laugh and he went on.

“You’ve got to have a support system in place. Even if you  _can_ do this by yourself, you don’t  _have_ to. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Let people help you.”

You nodded. He turned back to your chart and you sighed.

“I do have a … question, I guess.”  
“Give it to me.”

You smiled, then went on.

“The other night, I was up kind of late and I wasn’t doing anything strenuous. Just standing at the window and walking around. But I got this pain, and it … scared me.”  
“What kind of pain?”

You met his eyes.

“Was it sharp, stabbing? Burning?”

You shook your head.

“No, it was … kind of like a cramp.”  
“Do you normally have cramps with your periods?”

You shrugged your shoulders.

“Sometimes. Not too bad.”  
“Is that what your pain felt like?”  
“Yeah. It was quick, but noticeable.”  
“Any other symptoms with it? Any bleeding or spotting?”

You shook your head and Clint nodded.

“Pregnancy is a weird, magical time. No two women have the same experience. Aches and pains are kind of normal, I’m afraid. Now if the cramps were constant, never letting up, there would be a problem. If you spot a little, that’s normal, too. But if you’re soaking a pad or passing clots, then that’s a problem and you need to visit an ER and get checked out.”

You slowly nodded and Clint motioned with his head.

“Anytime you want to call and ask a question, feel free. Those nurses make good money to listen to patients like you.”

You smiled, giving a nod.

“Thank you.”  
“No problem. Now, you’re about twelve weeks along?”

You nodded.

“Me and my little lime.”

Clint smiled.

“Found an app, didn’t you?”

You gave a laugh, nodding your head. Clint kept smiling, shaking his head fondly.

“Slide down to the end of the table and let’s get the fun stuff out of the way.”  
“You and I have very different definitions of ‘fun.’”

Clint laughed, rolling back to grab a pair of gloves from the box as you slid down and put your feet in the stirrups. He gently placed his hands on your knees to spread them apart when there was a knock at the door. You both looked that way, then at each other. Clint shook his head, but when another knock sounded, he rolled away from you on the stool and stood up.

“Usually the nurses don’t bother when I’m in the room with a patient, but sometimes…”

You nodded, maneuvering the paper coverings around. Clint opened the door and poked his head out, leaning back in after a few seconds.

“Um… Miss Potts, it’s for you.”  
“What?”

You sat up, eyes widening when Steve stepped into the room. He pointed to you, blue eyes blazing.

“We need to talk.”

You blinked, shaking your head once.

“We can talk later.”  
“Oh, I don’t think so.”  
“Well, I do. I’ve kind of got a … situation going here.”

Clint cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“I can come back. I’ve got other patients.”

You shook your head.

“No, you can come finish. He can wait in the lobby.”  
“The hell I can.”

Your mouth dropped open.

“Excuse me?”  
“Where the hell do you get off? Were you just not going to tell me or any of us that you were here?”

You blinked again, speaking slowly and deliberately, with a tiny bit of venom in your tone.

“You don’t answer my calls anymore. What was I supposed to do? You want me to call your office? Because I  _did_ and they said you were at lunch with your girlfriend!”  
“Really, I’ve got a quick patient across the hall and I’ll be right back.”

You shook your head.

“No, this …”

You motioned between you and Steve, glaring at him.

“… can wait. I’m ready to be … less  _al fresco_  over here.”

Clint snorted, trying to cover it with a cough when Steve shook his head.

“I think this has waited long enough.”  
“Oh, really? Since your girlfriend’s not around,  _now_ you want to talk to me? Now you can acknowledge my presence?”  
“I’ll just be—“

You pointed at Clint.

“Don’t move!”

You looked back to Steve, narrowing your eyes, tone  _dripping_ with venom this time.

“I have got more important things to think about than your pitiful ego, you  _ass_. This can wait until after the appointment is done. Or you can just leave now and go back to ignoring me like our new normal.”

When the snick of the door closing seemed to echo through the room, you and Steve both looked to find Clint had left. You let out a groan, letting your feet fall from the stirrups as you waved a hand.

“See what you did?”  
“What  _I_ did? You just—“

You lifted a hand when Steve started pacing.

“First off, if we’re doing this, you’ve got to stay up by my head.”

He looked at you with a confused look on his face and you rolled your eyes, motioning to the lower part of your body. Steve glanced that way, seeing the paper coverings, then closed his eyes. He shook his head before making his way to stand near your head. When he didn’t say anything, you took it as a sign to start the conversation.

“What did I do?”

He glanced your way and you shook your head, staring down at your hands.

“You said it was fine for me to go, I went, and you cut me out. What happened?”

When he didn’t answer, you turned your head to look at him, seeing a muscle twitch in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. After a brief silence, he spit out the words.

“You shouldn’t have gone.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Yeah, seriously!”

He started slowly pacing again and you shifted on the table.

“Head, Steve.”

He turned to walk back by your head and you twisted to look at him.

“So you told me to go but you didn’t mean it?”  
“Who in their right mind would mean it?”  
“How was I supposed to know that?! I can’t read your mind!”  
“You know me, Y/N!”

He started pacing again.

“You’ve  _got_ to know I didn’t really mean it.”  
“How was I supposed to know that when you were telling me the complete opposite?”  
“You just were.”

You rolled your eyes, hands clenching on your paper covers as you motioned for him to step away from your torso. He rolled his eyes, but moved back towards your head. He sighed.

“It killed me. I thought you would see that, that you’d see right through me and call me out on it.”  
“Steve, I’m not a mind reader.”  
“But you are! When it comes to me, you always have been.”

You blinked, and he shook his head as he started to pace again.

“I never have to ask you for anything. You always just give me what I need. But you … you don’t need me the same way.”  
“Oh, but I do need you, Steve.”

He stopped pacing to look at you.

“I need you to  _stay by my head_!”

He blew out a breath, grabbing Clint’s rolling stool and bringing it by your head, then sitting on it. He held out his hands and you nodded.

“Thank you.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, and you shook your head.

“So … you were mad at me because I didn’t read your mind that you telling me to go meant for me not to go?”

He blew out a breath, letting his arms fall.

“No.”  
“Then what, Steve? Because I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of what I did wrong, and—“  
“I saw you.”

You blinked, and he spoke again, just as softly.

“I saw you and him outside your building. I saw the kiss.”

You slowly closed your eyes, lying back on the table. Steve stared at his hands as he talked.

“I saw the way he looked at you and … I don’t know. When I saw you kiss him, I just … it’s like everything in me just … ‘died’ sounds too dramatic, but…”

He looked up, eyes meeting yours, his narrowing at the tears in yours. You gave a shake of your head.

“You idiot.”

You said it with such affection that Steve wasn’t the least bit offended. He rolled closer to you and you shook your head again.

“When he kissed me is when I knew what a huge mistake I’d made.”

He just blinked and you shrugged.

“I guess I realized then that I didn’t want to be kissed by him.”  
“Who did you want to be kissed by?”

You swallowed, looking up at the ceiling.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”  
“Yes it does.”  
“Steve—“  
“Y/N.”

He stood up, walking to where he was hovering over you as you looked up at him. You gave a shake of your head and whispered.

“You’ve got a girlfriend.”  
“No, I don’t.”

You tilted your head, cocking one eyebrow.

“So Sharon was your imaginary friend?”  
“Just a friend.”  
“If you’re going to use that lame-ass excuse, at least—“  
“She’s gay, Y/N.”

You went still as he spoke again.

“She just moved here and she didn’t know anyone. She asked if I could introduce her to people and I took her for coffee to get to know her better, to see who I thought she might jive with. When I saw you in the coffee shop and saw the look on your face, it … I don’t know. It gave me the idea to use her to make you think she was my girlfriend.”

You blinked at him, then shook your head.

“That was a shitty thing to do.”  
“I know. Sharon said that, too.”  
“You really hurt me, Steve.”  
“I know. And I’m  _so_ sorry for that.”

You sighed, staring up at the ceiling.

“We’re a mess.”

Steve gave a soft laugh.

“Tell me about it.”  
“We can’t do this, Steve. We can’t have a baby together and hurt each other like this.”  
“I know.”

You closed your eyes, taking in a shaky breath and letting it out slowly.

“We just need to forget anything ever happened and go back to being friends.”  
“Just friends with a baby?”

You nodded. Steve was quiet, until you rolled your head to look at him. He pursed his lips, then shook his head.

“I can’t do that.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Exactly what I said. I can’t do that.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because every time I close my eyes, I see you sleeping on my chest. I see the way you kept your eyes closed when I kissed you, even seconds after we pulled apart. I see your hair fanned out over that pillow and I hear the soft way you said my name when I made you come.”

Your eyes widened, and he moved to hover over you again, one thick arm on either side of your head.

“I remember the way your body felt under my hands and god, Y/N. I want to feel it again. I want to feel your lips on mine, on … other places.”

Your cheeks were on fire, but you couldn’t look away from him, watching the way his eyes focused on your lips before meeting yours.

“All I can think of is how we made this baby and how badly I want to do it again.”  
_“Steve.”_

Your voice was barely a whisper, and his dropped deeper as he continued.

“I see you the way you were sleeping when I left and I want to see that every night.”

Your eyes widened as he shook his head.

“But I don’t want to leave again. I want to be there with you or have you there with me every second of every day. I want to touch you— _God_ , do I— but I want to get to know you more than I do right now. I want to see you early in the mornings and late in the middle of the night. I want to talk to you and hear you laugh and I want to hold your hand.”

He gave a hard shake of his head as he straightened, reaching for your hand and lacing his fingers through yours.

“I don’t want you kissing other men.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I want you kissing me.”

You gave a sharp exhale and he met your eyes.

“I know the timing is fucked, but I … I want to be with you. And I … Y/N, I’m all in. I’m putting all the cards on the table. This baby, marriage, more babies, I’m putting it all out there. Maybe that scares you. It scares me. But at the same time, it doesn’t.”

Steve shook his head.

“It’s scary as hell, but it feels right. I’m so sorry that I hurt you. I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life trying to make that up to you, if you’ll let me. But I can’t just be your friend, Y/N. Not now. Not anymore.”

You stared at him, feeling the heavy warmth of his hand as he held tightly to yours. You let his words sink in, and while they did scare you, you had to admit … it  _did_ feel right. You blinked and licked your lips, then looked up at him.

“Come here.”

He leaned in and you shook your head.

“Closer.”

He leaned in further and a smile came to your lips, voice barely a whisper.

“Closer.”

Steve leaned in so close your noses were almost touching. Your eyes danced over his face, from his plump lips to his eyes, as his eyes did the same to you. When your eyes met, you stared into his burning blue before leaning up and closing the gap between you, pressing your lips against his.

He kept his eyes on you, until he shifted his lips against yours and you had to close your eyes. His tongue slid between your lips as his free hand moved to cradle your cheek, while honest-to-God tingles broke out over your body. 

He pulled away when a soft knock sounded at the door, resting his forehead on yours, his voice hoarse.

“Come in.”

Clint poked his head in the door and you smiled.

“Is this still hostile territory or do we have an all clear?”

You gave a soft laugh as Steve glanced at Clint.

“The coast is clear, Doc.”

Clint nodded as he stepped into the room, doing a crappy job of trying to hide the smile on his face.

“You guys think we can finish this appointment now?”

You and Steve both nodded, staring at each other instead of the Doctor. Clint snorted, shaking his head and muttering under his breath, a smile on his face as he washed his hands, then slid a pair of gloves on. You repositioned yourself with your feet back in the stirrups, smiling when Steve took your hand and held it against his chest, gently carding his fingers through your hair as he stood with his back to Clint and his eyes on you.

* * *

 

Bucky yawned as he walked out of his room, rubbing an eye and scratching at his chest. He came to a stop in the middle of the living room when he saw Steve in the kitchen. Bucky frowned, watching Steve drink from a glass of orange juice.

“What are doing here?”

Steve shrugged.

“Stealing some of your orange juice.”  
“How’d you know it was mine?”  
“Because Y/N hates orange juice unless it’s in a cocktail, and since that’s not happening for a while…”

Bucky nodded, making a face.

“And where the hell’s your shirt?”

Steve shrugged again.

“Got hot.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, walking towards the bathroom. He stopped again, turning to face Steve, hands moving to his hips.

“You know, you never come over here. Not since you left me to go live with Peggy. Why are you here now?”

Steve shrugged again, finishing his orange juice.

“Pepper’s door was locked and since they got that weird new alarm system, I decided to break in here.”

Bucky shook his head, rubbing his eyes again.

“It’s too early for this shit.”

Bucky stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Steve almost deflated, exhaling in a relieved rush, rubbing a hand over his face. He quickly searched through the cabinets, cursing under his breath when he heard the toilet flush and the faucet turn on. The door opened and Bucky stepped out, mouth already working.

“Another thing. It is barely six. The damn sun isn’t even up yet. What the hell are you doing here at ass o’clock in the morning? And don’t tell me some bullshit about ‘morning jogs’ or whatever.”

Steve went to open his mouth, but your door opened. You stood there, hair tousled, body relaxed, a sleepy look on your face.

“Steve, can you get me some … water?”

You stopped when you saw Bucky, pressing your lips together. Bucky looked from you to Steve, saw the way both of you just sort of shrugged. Bucky blinked, then shook his head as he sighed.

“Hey, Stevie?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Found your shirt.”

You looked down, smoothing a hand over Steve’s white t-shirt, the one you’d gathered up off the floor and pulled on. Bucky made his way back towards his room, muttering under his breath before he closed the door behind him.

“‘Bout damn time.”


	9. The One With A Whole Lotta Lovin'

You made your way into Pepper’s apartment, giving her and Christine a smile. You walked to the refrigerator and Christine huffed out a breath. You turned back to face her, catching her eye roll. 

“What?”   
“Oh, like you don’t know.”

You blinked, and Pepper hid her smile behind her coffee cup. You shook your head, then looked to your sister, and Pepper shrugged a shoulder.

“She’s jealous.”   
“Damn right I’m jealous. I come here and the place reeks of sex—“   
“Oh, it does not.”

Christine ignored Pepper and continued her tirade.

“And then you come walking in with those pink cheeks and bright eyes. And that’s after we see Steve leaving down the hall, whistling for God’s sake, that loose-hipped walk of a man who clearly just had his brain sucked out of his—“   
 _“Christine!”_

After you and Pepper chastised her at the same time, Christine looked from one to the other, then rolled her eyes.

“A man who had a very good morning, all right?”

You bit your lip, but smiled anyway. Christine groaned, then laid her head on the table.

“I miss sex.”

You smiled at Pepper, who just shrugged again and took a sip of her coffee. You sat across from Christine and tapped on the table.

“I have a question for you.”

Christine lifted her head and Pepper came to sit at the table with you. You sighed, then spoke softly.

“So I’m finally starting to feel … somewhat normal again. Like, I actually want some food and I have a little spark of energy. But there’s also …”

You made a face and Christine raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.

“Also what?”

You pressed your lips together, then leaned forward.

“I can’t put into words how horny I am.”

Pepper’s mouth dropped open as Christine snorted, then fell into laughter. You rolled your eyes and Christine shook her head.

“So my description of ol’ Steve-o this morning?”   
“Hit the nail on the head.”

Christine laughed some more and you shook your head.

“No, I mean … this is a problem.”   
“How?!”   
“It’s all I can think about!”

You shook your head again.

“And as soon as … you know, I’m ready to go again. I’m afraid I’m going to kill him.”

Pepper laughed with Christine this time, and you huffed out a breath.

“I’m so serious. I’m honestly worried that I’m going to get fired because all I can think about is Steve.”

You held up a finger.

“And that’s another part of it. It’s not that I want to sleep with any guy I bump into on the street. It’s just Steve.”   
“Thank goodness, because I’ve gotten possessive in my married state.”

Pepper smiled as Christine made a gagging noise and you laughed. Pepper shrugged her shoulders, sipping her coffee again as Christine sighed, then spoke.

“From a medical standpoint, this is normal. You’re almost four months in, right?”

You nodded.

“Fifteen weeks.”

Christine nodded.

“There’s a hormone surge or something that hits and it has a tendency to make a pregnant girl a little randy.”   
“A little?”

You and Pepper smiled at each other after you spoke at the same time. Christine shrugged.

“Ride that pony while you can, girl. Pun intended.”

Pepper groaned, but you smiled. Christine smiled, tapping her fingers on the table before she leaned forward.

“Okay, since we’re having Share Time, there’s something I’m dying to know.”

You raised an eyebrow and she leaned in closer to you.

“When you and Steve got yourselves into this little mess…”

You rolled your eyes and she bit her lip before finishing her thought.

“Regular or Magnum?”

Your mouth dropped open as Pepper barked out a laugh. You shook your head, feeling your cheeks begin to warm.

“I’m not discussing this with you.”   
“Oh, come on, Y/N! I won’t tell!”

You looked to Pepper, who lifted her shoulders, and you shook your head.

“Seriously?”   
“It’s a perfectly natural curiosity.”

You looked up at the ceiling, letting out a breath. Christine shrugged, holding out her hands.

“I just … I mean, are we talking about a little Tootsie Roll or is it a Fruit by the Foot? A girl’s got to know.”

You laughed, meeting her eyes. She looked so hopeful, pleading, and you kept her gaze, then gave her a wink. Her mouth dropped open, and she turned to Pepper.

“I knew it!”   
“Have you seen him?”   
“He’s proportional, isn’t he?”

You closed your eyes, a wide smile on your face.

“And the best part is, he knows what to do with it.”

Christine threw her arms out as she leaned back in her chair, and you and Pepper laughed. Christine turned to Pepper.

“Your turn.”

Pepper gave a laugh, holding up her hands.

“I have no complaints whatsoever.”   
“You  _bitches_.”

You and Pepper laughed again, and Christine shook her head.

“I need new friends. New celibate friends.”   
“Then I am afraid you’ve come to the wrong place, honey.”

Christine shook her head and you smiled as you leaned back in your chair. Pepper stood up, walking towards her stove.

“Anybody want a bagel?”

Christine shook her head, but you nodded.

“That sounds good.”

Pepper and Christine blinked, but Pepper quickly tossed a bagel into her toaster. She pulled a tub of cream cheese out of the fridge and set it on the table and you made a face.

“Uh oh. You okay?”

You met Christine’s eyes and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just …”   
“What?”   
“You know what sounds really good?”

Christine shook her head.

“Mixing mustard with that cream cheese.”   
“What?”

You shrugged, and Christine made a disgusted face. Pepper shook her head, but took the mustard out of the fridge and set in front of you on the table. You grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and a fork and sat down, creating a suitable mixture and spreading it on the bagel half Pepper set in front of you. She and Christine watched you, and when you took a bite, then sighed in pleasure, they both shook their heads.

“Oh my god.”   
“That’s disgusting.”

You shrugged your shoulders as you took another bite.

“I haven’t been able to eat for almost three weeks and now I’m eating crazy shit. Whatever. I’d try to care, but this is so good.”

Christine closed her eyes as she shook her head, looking away.

“Hey, Pep. Can I have the other half, too?”   
“Help yourself, weirdo.”

* * *

 

Steve stepped into the apartment, dropping his bag by the door and yawning. He rolled his neck, lifting a hand to rub at it as he walked to your room. He gave a quiet knock, pushing the door open to find you curled up on the bed reading. Both of you smiled when you looked up and met his eyes.

“Hey, you.”

Steve stepped into your room and shut the door behind him.

“Hey back.”

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to your lips. You gave a soft sigh, rolling onto your back as he climbed onto the bed with you. Your hands slid up and down his thick arms as the kiss quickly heated, and Steve finally leaned back to look down at you.

“You okay?”

You groaned, letting your arms fall to the bed. He smiled, moving to lay a hand on your hip.

“What is it?”

He sat up and you moved to do the same. You sighed, pushing a hand through your hair. Steve reached to take your hand and you blew out a breath.

“Talk to me, pretty girl. What’s up?”   
“It’s one of the … ‘side effect’ isn’t the right word, but it fits.”   
“Side effect of what?”   
“This week, month, whatever of pregnancy.”   
“Okay…? You’ve got to give me another hint, babe. I’m not following you.”

You looked down where his hand was holding yours.

“There’s a hormone surge that … is making me …”

Steve smiled, lips spreading apart to show his teeth.

“Making you what, babe?”   
“Don’t.”

You smiled, face heating. Steve leaned closer. 

“Come on, sweetheart. Making you what?”   
“Horny, Steve. I’m so horny all the time. All I want to do is just … you.”

He threw his head back and laughed, moving a hand to clutch his chest, and you glared at him. He shook his head, giving your hand a squeeze, smiling widely at you.

“Is that a problem?”   
“I can’t focus on anything. All I think about is sex all the time.”   
“Well, I’m more than willing to help take your mind off of that.”

You met his eyes, and he reached over, laying his hand against your cheek. You gave a shaky sigh and he leaned in closer.

“Believe me when I say that I am one hundred percent here for this particular side effect.”

He kissed you once and you looked down at your lap when he moved back.

“I just don’t want you to think … never mind.”   
“What, that you’re using me for sex?”

Your eyes widened as you leaned away from him and he gave a soft laugh.

“Y/N, you can use me all you want. But don’t ever believe that I am anything other than a more than willing participant here.”   
“You’re not just saying that so I won’t cry, are you?”   
“Let me tell you a little something about the male species.”

You laughed, moving to sit on your knees, beginning to unbutton Steve’s shirt. He swallowed, watching your hands slowly pop the buttons free. When you reached the middle of his chest, you looked up and met his eyes, the blue quickly burning away as his pupils dilated.

“Weren’t you going to tell me something?”

He shook his head, and you smiled.

“Well, I have something to tell you.”

You went back to freeing his buttons, smiling at the thought of his shirt breathing a sigh of relief at no longer having to be stretched over his broad shoulders.

“Ye—yeah?”

You nodded as you pulled his shirt free from his jeans and finished with the buttons. You gently pushed his shoulder until he laid back, bare chest in view, shirt still clinging to his wide shoulders. Steve’s breath caught in his throat as your hands went to the button on his jeans.

“I’ve been thinking about this all day. About you.”

Steve squeezed his eyes shut as you popped the button on his jeans, fingers slipping under the waistband to hold as you slid the zipper down, brushing against the trail of hair low on his stomach. He gave a soft groan and you smiled.

“You okay, Stevie?”   
“Don’t stop. Keep going.”

You shifted to press your thighs together, then nodded. With his jeans undone, you moved to stand beside the bed, tugging the jeans down his thighs. You dropped them to the floor and looked down at him, at the arousal evident in his boxers and through the hitched breaths he kept breathing, how his chest quickly rose and fell, the way his eyes were screwed shut. You moved over him, putting your mouth at his ear.

“You’re going to want to watch this.”

His eyes flew open as you moved to stand beside the bed again, pulling your shirt over your head and shaking your hair out. Steve gave a quiet moan when your swollen breasts came into view, barely encased in the bra you had on. He cleared his throat, voice hoarse when he spoke.

“Got to say, I’m loving this particular side effect.”

You rolled your eyes as you shimmied the lounge shorts off your hips. Steve swallowed again and you tilted your head as you looked at him and smiled.

“You okay, big guy?”   
“Y/N, if you don’t get over here right now…”

You smiled, but made your way to the bed. You gasped when his hands shot out to take hold of you, switching your positions until you were flat on your back and he was looking down at you. You shook your head, surging up to press your lips to his. When he kissed you back, you gave a quiet moan, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

* * *

 

You were lying on your back, staring up at the ceiling, one hand in your hair and the other slung over Steve’s arm. He was lying on his back beside you, also staring up at the ceiling, one leg hanging off the bed, both of you breathing hard. He shook his head, exhaling in a huff.

“Every time. How is it that … explosive every time?”

You shook your head and he groaned as he rolled to look into your eyes. You shrugged your shoulders.

“Another side effect?”   
“I don’t think so, because—“

He stopped himself from saying anything, and you lifted a shaky hand to touch his face.

“What?”

He sighed, taking your hand from his cheek and kissing your palm before holding your hand in his.

“I remember it being like this the first time.”

You blinked, but smiled.

“Oh, yeah. That … it was really good.”   
“Y/N, it was more than good.”   
“Now you see why I want to do it all the time?”

Steve laughed, lying back and groaning again. He pulled you to his side and you turned to put your face in his chest.

“You’re so warm.”   
“Are you cold?”

He moved to grab the covers on your bed, tugging them up over the two of you. You gave a content sigh, shivering when Steve’s fingers danced up and down your spine. You burrowed closer to him and closed your eyes, and Steve pressed his lips to your temple before resting his head atop yours.

* * *

 

You woke up in the middle of the night with a start, eyes flying open and breath coming quickly from your lungs. You gingerly moved the covers off of your overheated body and slid from the bed, not trusting your legs to stand and sitting on the floor instead.

You wrapped your arms around your naked torso and rocked back and forth, squeezing your eyes closed and murmuring softly to yourself.

_Just a dream._

_You’re okay._

_Steve’s right there._

You opened your eyes, shifting onto your knees and looking up at the bed. Steve was on his stomach, holding a pillow in his thick arms. The covers were down around his waist, barely concealing his ass while giving you a perfect view of his muscular back.

You bit your bottom lip, watching him sleep for a moment. You opened your mouth, then closed it, shaking your head as you tried to swallow on a dry throat. You took another breath, then spoke softly.

“Steve?”

He didn’t answer, so you spoke again, just a bit louder.

“Steve?”   
“Hmm.”   
“Are you awake?”   
“Mm-hmm.”

You licked your lips, softly calling his name again. He lifted his head, running a hand over his face and looking over his shoulder. When he noticed that you weren’t lying beside him, he sat up.

“Y/N?”   
“Hey.”

He met your eyes, lifting a hand to rub at his own.

“Are you okay?”

You nodded.

“What are you doing on the floor?”   
“I had a … bad dream and I … I don’t know.”

You looked around the room, eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. Steve shifted in the bed, laying across it, resting his chin on his hands.

“What is it?”

You shook your head and he reached a hand down to touch your head. You shivered at the touch and he spoke softly.

“Come back to bed with me.”

The words he whispered tucked themselves in your heart and you nodded, taking the hand he offered and holding it tightly as you stood up and slipped back under the covers. You rolled to him before your head hit the pillow, holding onto him tightly. He wrapped his arms around you, gently rubbing his big hand over your back.

“It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”

You put your face in his neck, the beard on his cheeks and chin tickling your forehead. You moved a hand to touch the other side of his face and he stared at the ceiling.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

You shook your head and he smiled.

“Might help.”   
“I don’t want to think about it at all.”   
“That bad?”

You didn’t answer him, just tightened your hold a bit. Steve turned his head to kiss your temple and you lifted your head to look into his eyes. He moved a hand to thumb away a tear from your cheek and you leaned in, gently laying your lips to his.

Steve’s hands stilled on your back, just holding you against him as the two of you kissed. You moved both hands to hold his face, scratching your nails through his beard. You broke the kiss to look at him, staring into his eyes while in the safety of his arms. You shook your head, leaning closer to him, whispering against his lips.

“Make me forget.”

Steve nodded, rolling you to your back and hovering over you. You stared up at him as he leaned down, your eyes drifting closed as his lips touched your cheek, then down to your neck. You let your head fall back against the pillows as your hands moved to his shoulders, fingers dancing over the rippling muscles.

Steve continued his journey across your collarbones, both of you moaning when one hand moved to cup the breast his lips weren’t touching, fingers gently plucking at your nipple. He was so careful with his touches and kisses, but it was everything to you.

He stared up at you as he laid a hand against your stomach, and your eyes never left his when he bent his head and pressed his lips just under your navel. You closed your eyes and turned your face towards the pillow, and he pushed himself up to kiss your lips once more.

You spread your legs at Steve’s gentle urging, staring at the ceiling as you felt his fingers tenderly slip between your legs.

“God, sweetheart.”

You closed your eyes, letting out a gasp and moaning as you felt Steve’s tongue slowly slip between your lips. One of your hands shot down to tangle in his hair, and you jolted at the feel of his chuckle against your damp skin.

“Hold on tight, baby.”

You tried to clench your teeth together to hold back the moan, but it slipped through your lips anyway. You gasped and whispered his name, and Steve’s talented lips and tongue ignited a fire deep inside you. When one of his fingers slid into you at the same time that he took hold of one of your legs and pushed it back, opening you wider, you let your other hand come down to his head, carding through his hair, but holding him right where you needed him.

You felt your breath come quicker, and you opened your mouth, unable to speak or do anything but jerk as your vision whited out, as every muscle in your body tightened almost painfully before releasing in a rush of pleasure.

You blinked your eyes open when Steve’s lips danced over your neck and cheek. You turned your head and met his eyes, smiling when he smiled at you before lowering his head and kissing you. You shivered when his lips were at your ear, his voice deeper than normal when he whispered.

“What do you need, baby? Tell me what you need.”   
“You.”

He lifted his head and you moved your hands to grip his arms.

“I just need you.”

You watched the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed, nodding before leaning in to kiss you again. He moved to lay down beside you and you shifted, moving over him to straddle his hips. He lifted his hands and you held them, the two of you maneuvering around together until he slipped inside.

You both went still, Steve staring up at you as you threw your head back, barely even breathing as you adjusted to the heavy weight of him inside you. His voice was hoarse as he whispered to you.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

You moaned and slowly slid forward, biting your lip when you slid back. Steve let out a grunt when you did it again, and you nodded when his hands came to hold you at your sides. You let your head fall back, moaning his name as you began to ride him.

“Steve.  _Oh, god.”_    
“Yes, baby.”

You shook your head and looked down at him, gripping his hands tightly, dropping one to brace against his chest, making him hiss when you dug your nails into his skin.

Steve closed his eyes and bared his teeth as you slowly moved your hips back and forth. You squeezed your eyes shut, gasping at the feeling of sparks flying through your body. Steve began rolling his hips, meeting your movements, and you sobbed out a breath, moaning his name when his hand moved to cup one of your breasts, gently pinching your nipple.

“Come on, baby.”

You shook your head, letting go of his other hand to brace both of yours against his chest. He let that hand come to your other breast and you moaned again. They’d been so sore lately, even taking a shower was painful. But in Steve’s hands … you’d never felt so good.

You felt the sparks begin to catch fire, making you move just a bit faster. Steve nodded, grunting as he tried to keep up with you.

“Steve.”

Your voice was barely a whisper, but he heard you. He nodded, speaking just as softly.

“I got you, baby.”

You threw your head back, gasping when Steve thrust his hips up, jolting forwards when he did it again, feeling an eruption deep inside as it felt like lightning shot through your veins. You vaguely registered Steve moaning your name, but feeling him sent you into another orgasm, this one seeming like it would last forever, until you collapsed onto Steve’s heaving chest.

He blinked wide eyes, running a hand down his face. His hand was shaking as he moved it to rest against your back.

“Holy … shit.”

You nodded, moaning softly when you forced yourself to move where you were laying on top of him, head resting on his shoulder. He moved his heavy arms to wrap them around you, holding you close, making you give a happy sigh when his warmth began soaking into your skin.

You froze when there was a knock at the door. Steve rolled his head to look at the door and you gave a soft groan as a voice sounded from the other side.

_“It’s me. Cover up.”_    
“Just … just a minute.”

Steve groaned as he grabbed the covers and tossed them over the two of you. You refused to budge from his chest, and when he was satisfied that you were covered, he pushed a hand through his hair and blew out a breath.

“O … okay.”

The door opened and Bucky walked in, a bottle of water in each hand.

“Don’t try and thank me. Trust me when I say you need this.”

Steve gave a weak laugh, taking one of the bottles. He murmured for you to move so you could take a drink, but you shook your head, burrowing closer to him, your nose at his neck. Steve sighed, shaking his head, twisting the top off the bottle and taking a long drink.

“Thanks, Buck.”   
“No need to thank me. You’d do the same for me.”

You snorted and Bucky narrowed his eyes in your direction.

“Also, crack a window. You stink like sex.”

Steve laughed as Bucky left the room, closing the door behind him. Steve shook his head, taking another drink of water after he spoke.

“I can’t believe you forgot to lock the door.”

You rolled your eyes, then closed them, moving your hands to rest against Steve’s obliques.

“Weren’t you the last one in here?”   
“No, I … oh. Maybe so.”

You gave a soft laugh, then shook your head.

“I can’t believe we woke Bucky.”   
“Call it payback for all the times he did it to us over the years.”

You giggled and Steve lifted a hand, cool fingers thanks to the water bottle trailing up and down your spine. You gave a content sigh, snuggling just a bit closer to him.

“Can we stay like this forever?”

Steve smiled, dropping the empty water bottle off the side of the bed, then lifting a hand to brush through your hair.

“I wish.”   
“Am I squishing you?”

Steve rolled his eyes at your question, and you lifted your head to look at him.

“You could stay right there forever and I’d be just fine.”

You sighed again, resting your head back on his shoulder, closing your eyes as his hand continued carding through your hair.

“You won’t be saying that when I look like a beached whale.”

Steve swallowed as that thought registered in his mind, what it would be like to look at you when it was evident you were carrying his child. He blinked, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Hey.”

You lifted your head, blinking sleepy eyes at him. He helped you move up his chest until he could kiss your lips, then rolled the two of you until your back was against the bed and Steve was hovering over you. You stared up at him and he shook his head.

“You won’t ever look like a beached whale. Not to me.”   
“Steve—“

You stopped when you saw the look in his eyes, and you swallowed. He gave the slightest shake of his head, keeping his eyes on yours as he bent and pressed his lips to yours. You closed your eyes, taking in a breath, gasping as he slowly slid into you. His movements stayed steady and deep, the two of you just staring at each other until you gripped his shoulders, eyes closing as everything inside you seemed to combust at once. You rode the wave as long as you could, reveling in the sound of Steve softly groaning your name.

Steve rolled off of you, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling. You were right beside him, staring up as well. Steve lifted a hand to push through his hair and took a deep breath. You gave a shaky breath, moving shaking hands to rest them on your head. Steve looked over to you, rolling onto his side and pulling you close. You wrapped your arms around him, putting your face in his shoulder, both of your voices barely a whisper.

“Are you okay?”   
“I don’t know.”

Steve nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. You tightened your hold on him and he closed his eyes, giving a shaky exhale as you began trailing your fingers through his hair. His hold on you loosened as his breathing became slow and deep as he drifted to sleep, but he kept his arms around you.

You, on the other hand, continued to stare at the wall over his shoulder, slowly carding your fingers through his hair.

* * *

 

Pepper walked into the living room and stopped, raising an eyebrow when she saw you on her couch, staring into space.

“Am I having deja vu?”

You didn’t answer, and she walked closer to you, tying her robe tighter before crossing her arms over her chest.

“Honey?”

You met her eyes and she gave you a soft smile.

“Are you okay?”

You nodded.

“I just … I think I’m in love with Steve.”


	10. The One Where They Dance Around It

Steve winced as he tilted his head and his neck popped. He widened his eyes and took a sip from his mug of steaming coffee, not noticing Tony standing back with a smirk on his face. After a moment, Tony stepped from the shadows, hands in his bathrobe.

“Have I ever mentioned how much I  _love_ that you all just come and go as you please?”  
“Hey, I at least made coffee.”

Tony nodded, walking to the machine.

“Y/N still can’t handle it?”

Steve shook his head, wincing when he did.

“She thought she was okay now, but when I tried to take her to the coffee shop yesterday, she threw up in a trash can outside. So we did the deli down the street again. She’s got a thing for those little pickles now.”

Tony made a face and Steve lifted a hand to rub at his neck.

“Got a crick?”

Steve nodded, wincing as he did. Tony lifted his mug to his lips, speaking over the top of it.

“Probably something to do with all that wild and crazy sex you’ve been having.”

Steve coughed, setting the mug on the counter as Tony smiled. Pepper walked into the kitchen, yawning, patting Steve on the back as she went to the coffee pot.

“Are you choking?”

Steve gave her a thumbs up and she nodded, pouring herself some coffee. Tony tilted his head towards Steve.

“He’s got a crick in his neck from all the swinging from the ceiling he and Y/N have been doing.”  
“Please stop.”

Pepper gave a soft laugh as she carried her mug to the refrigerator. Bucky walked through the front door, mouth open wide in a yawn, carrying his own mug. He walked to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup, then shook his head.

“I know this is the last of the pot, but I’m not making more!”  
“Why are you yelling?”  
“What?!”

Tony, Pepper, and Steve winced as Bucky’s voice loudly assaulted their ears. Bucky made a face and set his mug down, lifting his hands to pull bright pink earplugs out of his ears, speaking at a normal volume.

“Sorry. I think we all know why I have these.”  
“You can all just shove it.”

They laughed, and Steve stifled a groan as he turned his head towards his own coffee mug. The door opened again and you walked in, making a face at the coffee smell, putting your hands on your hips. Pepper smiled, lifting her mug to her lips.

“Why the dirty diaper face?”

You rolled your eyes, then crossed your arms over your chest.

“I’m fat.”  
“You’re not fat!”

Pepper rolled her eyes at the chorus of the three male voices that spoke at once. She walked up and patted each of their backs.

“We’ve trained you well.”

You rolled your eyes, but held your hands out.

“I suddenly can’t fit in my pants.”  
“Really?”  
“I can’t even zip some of them. These are Steve’s.”

You put your thumbs in the waistband of the shorts you were wearing, pulling them out and letting it pop back.

“I’m too fat to fit in my own clothes, so I have to steal my—“  
“Baby daddy’s.”

You narrowed your eyes at Tony, but he just bounced his eyebrows and smiled. You shook your head, looking over to Steve, eyes widening when you saw the look in his eyes. He set his coffee cup down and cleared his throat.

“Excuse us.”

Everyone watched as Steve stepped forward, taking your hand and pulling you out of the apartment, hurrying across the hall. Bucky made a face as he turned back to the counter, taking the bright pink earplugs and slipping them back into his ears.

* * *

 

“What are you doing?”

Steve kicked the front door shut behind you, all but dragging you into your bedroom. He pushed you against the door and you stared up at him, shaking your head as a laugh bubbled through your lips.

“What’s gotten into you?”

Steve’s hands moved to your hips, and he knelt in front of you, biting his bottom lip between his teeth. He slowly pulled his shorts off your hips, letting them fall to the floor, leaving you in your tank and lacy black panties. You blinked as you watched him, as his hands slowly pushed your tank up before they moved to cradle your stomach, one moving to rest just above the lacy band of your panties.

“Steve?”  
“You’re showing.”  
“Barely. I look like I’ve just eaten too much.”

Steve shook his head, his hands moving again, cradling your barely-there bump.

“There’s a baby in there. My baby.”

You closed your eyes and smiled, looking down at him as you moved a hand to cover one of his.

_“Our_ baby.”

He looked up at you, standing to his feet, keeping one hand on your stomach and lifting the other to your cheek, kissing you softly. The kiss went on, and you whispered to him as your lips moved with his.

“We’re going to be late for work.”  
“Won’t be the first time.”

You giggled, laying your hands on either side of his neck, stopping when Steve groaned. You pulled back and saw his eyes closed, face twisted in pain.

“What’s the matter?”  
“My neck. I think I strained it or something.”  
“How did you do that?”

Steve raised an eyebrow and you nodded.

_“Oh.”_

He snorted, shaking his head and wincing. You took his hand and led him to the bed, making him sit on the edge before you crawled behind him, sitting up on your knees. You put your hands on his shoulders, pressing your fingers into his skin, reveling in the moan he gave.

“Oh dear God.”

You smiled, digging your knuckles into a tender spot. He moaned louder, one hand flying back to grasp your thigh. You smiled, tightening your grip on him.  

“You okay?”  
“Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

You nodded, massaging his neck and shoulders until he was limp under your hands. You flattened your hands, just rubbing your palms over his shoulders, and he leaned back, going dead weight on you, and you laughed as you moved to lay back on the bed. Steve sighed and you moved your hands to push through his hair, his voice low and almost slurred.

“You’re messing my hair up.”

You laughed, and Steve moved off of you, curling up on his side, putting his head on your chest. You smiled, continuing to run your fingers through his hair.

“So you’ve got a … what would it be? A kink?”  
“Don’t bring me down, Y/N.”

You laughed again, bending your knees when Steve wrapped his arms around you, fitting the two of you together like two puzzle pieces. His voice was quiet when he spoke again.

“I don’t know what it is. Call it a kink if you want. Just the idea of my baby growing inside you … I don’t know.”

You smiled.

“Well, that’s reassuring.”  
“What?”  
“When I start looking like a beached whale, you might still want me.”

Steve lifted his head at that, blue eyes boring into yours.

“I’m always going to want you, Y/N.”  
“Steve—“

He leaned up, pressing his lips to yours, rolling you to your back. Your knees came up to either side of his hips, bracketing him in. He continued to kiss you as he pulled your tank top down, popping the front clasp on your bra, swallowing the groan you gave when your breasts were free. His hands moved to cup your breasts and you moaned, arching into his hands as your own moved to hold his head in place, your tongue tangling with his.

* * *

 

“I’m going to get fired.”

You laughed, holding the sheets to your chest as you watched Steve tug his pants on.

“I tried to tell you.”  
“I know. But you … you’re  _intoxicating_.”

You blinked, settling back into the pillows.

“You know just what to say, don’t you?”  
“What can I say? You bring it out in me.”

He came back to the bed, leaning over and kissing you. You scratched your nails into his beard and he groaned, shaking his head as he leaned back.

“You’re trying to kill me.”  
“But what a way to go, right?”

Steve laughed as he slid his arms through his button-up shirt. You watched as he buttoned it up, then tucked it into his pants. You shook your head and he smiled as he looked back at you.

“What?”  
“If I had a professor that looked like you, I would have aced my classes in college. Aced, you hear me?”

Steve shook his head, a blush coming over his cheeks. You giggled and leaned back against the pillows. Steve glanced your way as he slid his belt through the loops on his pants.

“Are you going in to work today?”

You shook your head, letting your eyes slip closed.

“I might go in later, but honestly, I deserve a day off.”

Steve smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed as he went to put his shoes back on.

“Hey.”

You blinked your sleepy eyes open and saw him smiling at you. He moved a hand and you immediately laced your fingers with his.

“Come have lunch with me. There’s a new little pizza place three blocks over from campus that just opened.”

You smiled.

“Okay.”

Steve nodded, swallowing before he leaned forward and kissed you. He broke his lips from yours before the kiss got too heated, kissing your forehead before he stood up.

“Text me when you get close?”

You nodded, grabbing his pillow and pulling it closer, breathing it in before settling down. Steve pulled the covers up over you, kissing your cheek, biting his tongue as he shut off the light and closed your door. Bucky was standing at the counter, a smile lighting up his face when he saw Steve.

“Oh, good. I figured you hadn’t left yet. Want some company on your ride?”  
“You need to go to Brooklyn?”  
“Meeting with a photographer, scouting out some places.”  
“BC’s got a beautiful campus.”  
“Walk with me. Talk with me.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but smiled, grabbing his bag and glancing wistfully back towards your door before following Bucky out of the apartment and towards the elevator. Bucky raised a hand to the elderly couple exiting the apartment down the hall.

“Morning Mr. and Mrs. Lee.”  
“Good morning, James.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, speaking under his breath.

“James?”  
“Shut up.”

The couple made their way to the elevator that Bucky held open, and the man, wearing glasses with a white  mustache nodded to him.

“Going to miss that.”

Bucky’s brows furrowed, and the woman smiled as she leaned over and patted Bucky’s shoulder.

“We’re moving to Florida, dear. We think it’s time to be closer to our daughter and grandchildren.”  
“Well, we’re sure going to miss you here.”

The man gave a laugh.

“Just don’t let that Tony Stank give our apartment to just anyone.”  
“Stark, dear.”  
“What?”  
“His name is Tony Stark.”

Steve bit his lip to keep from laughing, and Bucky smiled.

“I’ll keep a close eye on Tony and the apartment, Mr. Lee. Don’t you worry about that.”

Steve leaned back against the wall of the elevator, shaking his head as a fond smile played on his lips.

* * *

 

“Psst. Hey.”

Steve glanced over when Bucky kicked his foot. He blinked and shook his head and Bucky smiled.

“What gives?”  
“Hmm?”  
“You’ve been silent this whole subway ride. What’s on your mind?”

Steve blew out a breath, running a hand over his face. Bucky leaned back in his seat across from Steve, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing his ankles. The subway car was nearly empty, except for a girl huddled in the far corner seat, appearing to study furiously. Bucky nodded towards Steve when their eyes met.

“Don’t tell me there’s something wrong. You and Y/N are still in the honeymoon phase, right? Everything’s coming up orgasms and roses?”

Steve made a face, but laughed as he kicked Bucky’s foot.

“Nothing’s wrong. Y/N is …”

Steve sighed, and Bucky straightened.

“She’s what?”

Steve looked down at his hands, a soft smile on his face as he rubbed them together.

“Holy shit.”

Steve lifted his eyes to see Bucky staring at him with wide eyes. Steve raised an eyebrow and Bucky blinked, speaking softly, almost reverently.

“You’re in love with her.”

Steve blinked, then looked down at his hands again.

“Yeah. I think I am.”

Bucky blinked, taking in the small smile on Steve’s face. He shook his head, leaning over and staring at Steve. Steve shook his head, ignoring Bucky’s wide eyes.

“I just don’t want to rush anything with her.”

Bucky opened his mouth and Steve held up a finger.

“If you say one thing about rushing and the baby, I swear to God, I will punch you in the face.”

Bucky closed his mouth, holding up both hands and leaning back in his seat. Steve sighed, then spoke again.

“I know it’s been a while since Peggy moved out, but we were together for a long damn time. I don’t want Y/N to think she’s a rebound or something for me.”  
“I don’t think you’re rebounding with her.”

Steve glanced over and Bucky shrugged.

“You’re right. It has been a while since Peggy left. It’s been a while since she broke your heart. But you … I don’t know how to say this.”  
“Just say it.”

Bucky nodded again, a smile coming to his lips.

“It’s different with you and Y/N.”

Steve narrowed his eyes and Bucky gave a soft laugh.

“It’s hard to describe. When you were with Peggy, it … it wasn’t awkward, but … you two were like an old married couple. Maybe it was the British thing, I don’t know.”

Steve snorted, and Bucky shrugged again.

“With Y/N … you smile all the time. It’s so damn annoying.”

Steve gave a laugh and Bucky shook his head.

“The two of you are comfortable around each other, and that shows. You’re always touching her, holding her hand, playing with her hair. And she’s always got her eyes on you. It’s … like a breath of fresh air, as stupid as that sounds.”

Steve swallowed.

“It’s not that stupid.”

Bucky glanced out the window behind Steve’s head, waiting a moment before he spoke.

“I almost got the impression that you and Peggy were together because you had to be. Not saying that you didn’t love her, because I know you did. But there at the end, it seemed more like you were just together because you’d been together so long and you didn’t want to mess that up.”

Steve slowly nodded and Bucky shook his head.

“It’s not like that with Y/N.”  
“No, it’s not.”  
“What is it like? I mean, when you can tear yourselves out of bed.”  
“Honestly, we haven’t spent that much time out of bed.”

Bucky made a face, shifting back away from Steve. Steve laughed, smiling widely as he stared out the window, watching the subway move up from the underground tunnels.

“It’s … easy with her. She’s easy to talk to. She’s cuddly.”  
“And god knows you love that.”

Steve lifted a shoulder.

“I’m a tactile person.”  
“And Peggy was not.”  
“I do think that was part of the British thing.”

Bucky nodded, and Steve went on.

“The sex is amazing, but it’s so much more than that. I want to take care of her. I want to see her every day. I … shit, when I think about the fact she’s having my baby …”

Steve shook his head and Bucky let out a low whistle. Steve glanced over to him and Bucky shook his head, crossing his arms behind his head. 

“You got it bad, son.”  
“Shut up.”  
“You do. Oh, man, you do. You are  _so_ gone for her.”  
”It’s not too soon?”  
“What’s ‘soon’ when you know it’s right?”

Steve raised his eyebrows and nodded. Bucky pursed his lips, then spoke again.

“You gonna tell her?”

Steve scrubbed a hand over his face.

“I don’t know. We’ve only been together for, like, a week.”

Bucky nodded.

“But you’re like … ready for the mortgage and the minivan with her?”

Steve swallowed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”  
“Then tell her, you pussy.”

Steve kicked out towards Bucky’s foot, but Bucky dodged it and smiled.

“I don’t really get why you’re waiting. You two are on the fast track anyway.”  
“That’s it.”

Steve jumped up, crossing the aisle and grabbing Bucky in a headlock, messing up his hair while Bucky kicked and fought him and cursed. Steve finally let him go and Bucky glared at him as he tried to smooth his hair.

“ _Jackass_.”

Steve laughed, standing up and making his way towards the subway doors.

* * *

 

You climbed out of the cab and smiled as you started making your way through the campus of Brooklyn College. You stopped in front of the building where Steve’s office was and walked up the steps, making your way down the hall. You stopped when a woman stepped out of her office, right into your path.

“Oh, excuse me.”

You went to reply, but stopped when you realized who the woman was. She must have recognized you as well, and her eyes widened.

“Y/N. Hi.”

You made yourself smile.

“Hi, Sharon.”

She glanced down the hall, licking her lips.

“Do you have a minute to talk?”

You pulled your phone out of your purse and looked at the time, then nodded. Sharon opened her office door and you stepped into it, looking around at the colorful items, framed pictures of Sharon from different landmarks around the world.

“You can sit, if you’d like.”  
“I’ve only got a few minutes. I’m meeting Steve for lunch.”

A soft smile came to Sharon’s face and she nodded.

“Let me jump right into it, then. I wanted to apologize for making you think Steve and I were dating.”  
“There’s really no need—“  
“No, please.”

You watched as she sighed, moving to sit on the edge of her desk.

“I didn’t know what he was doing until he introduced me to your friends. When you ran out of there so upset, I kind of got a clue. He told me that you and he had something going on and I deduced that he was using me.”

You nodded and she shrugged her shoulders, a soft smile on her face.

“I never meant to hurt you. I would never date Steve. I mean, he’s great and all, he’s just … a guy.”

You nodded, a smile coming to your face.

“He is pretty great.”  
“So I take it you two fixed things?”

You thought about that morning, the way Steve’s hands gently cradled your barely-there belly, the way he looked at you with adoration in his eyes before he kissed you. You felt your cheeks warm and you nodded.

“Yeah, we … we’re good.”  
“And you and I …?”  
“We’re good too, Sharon.”

She smiled, nodding her head.

“Thank you. For listening and being so understanding.”  
“Well, Steve had told me most of it already.”

Sharon nodded.

“I thought he must have come to his senses. He was kind of impossible to be around there for a while.”

You gave a soft laugh, nodding as you turned to leave. Sharon followed you, opening the door for you as you stepped out of her office. In the hallway, you turned to face her.

“We should do lunch one day. Once Steve and I try out this pizza place, maybe you can show me your favorite place.”  
“Well, I’d have to find one first.”

You laughed, waving to her as you started down the hall. You arrived at Steve’s office, knocking once before pushing the cracked door open. Steve looked up from a paper, red pen in his hand, face brightening in a smile when he saw you.

“Hey, buddy.”  
“Hey back.”

He stood up and rounded the desk, taking you into his arms and kissing your lips. You closed your eyes when he hugged you, and when you didn’t make a move to step away, neither did he. Steve smiled, leaning his head against yours.

“You okay?”  
“I am now.”

He leaned back, forcing you to do the same, and you smiled at him before you leaned in and pressed your lips against his. His hands slowly moved up and down your back, and you sighed, one hand moving to cradle Steve’s head as he moved down to kiss your neck.

“Have you ever made out with anyone in this office?”  
“If I say yes, will you make me stop?”

You smiled.

“Maybe.”  
“Then no.”

You laughed, and Steve lifted his head and smiled at you. He kissed you once more, then let you go, stepping back around his desk. You sighed and Steve shook his head.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Your eyes widened, and Steve smiled as he motioned towards you.

“You’re pouting.”  
“I am not!”  
“As soon as I let go of you, that lip popped out.”  
“You’re just so warm and it’s like an igloo in here.”

Steve laughed, shaking his head.

“Let me get this stuff situated and we can go.”

You nodded, crossing your arms over your chest. Steve nodded towards you as he sat back down in his chair.

“I like this outfit.”  
“Oh, shut up.”

He laughed, holding out his hands. You shook your head, smoothing your hands down the dressy top you had on.

“The leggings were the only thing I could find that fit me and weren’t sweats or pajamas.”  
“Well, they make your ass look  _great_.”

You rolled your eyes, and started to walk, looking around the office, at the masculine decor and few framed pictures. There was a new one on his desk, and you leaned closer to see what it was.

It was a picture of you and Steve at his birthday party. You were in the magenta romper and he had his arm around your shoulders, hugging you close. You were both smiling widely, and you could remember that about an hour later, you broke the news about the baby.

“I loved that shot.”

You met his eyes, saw the soft smile on his face. You nodded, smiling yourself.

“You know what I kept thinking all night?”  
“What?”  
“How badly I wanted to kiss you again.”

Steve blinked.

“Seriously?”

You nodded.

“I knew I was pregnant and I knew I needed to tell you, but I just couldn’t get the nerve. I felt so sick just imagining telling you and …”  
“What?”

You shook your head, a soft smile on your face.

“You surprised me.”  
“I freaked out.”  
“You didn’t freak anywhere near what I thought you would.”

Steve stood up and made his way around the desk, leaning against it and laying his hands on your hips.

“What did you think? That I would lose it because it would be The Worst Thing for us to have a baby together?”  
“Well, I mean … we’d just slept together that one time.”  
“That we both wanted to carry over to another time, but we were too stubborn to give it a shot.”  
“Now look at us.”

You gave a quiet laugh, letting your hands roll over his thickly muscled arms. You stared at his chest, the open buttons of his shirt showcasing his throat. You sighed and he gave your hips a gentle squeeze.

“Y/N.”  
“We’re moving too fast. Are we moving too fast?”  
“What makes you think that?”

You swallowed, looking up and meeting his eyes. Steve moved his hand from your hip up to your cheek, and you shook your head, stepping closer to him.

“We’ve only …”  
“Known each other for a decade. You were just a kid when you moved in with Pepper.”  
“I was not a kid! I was eighteen. I was legal.”  
“And I swear to God, I think I wanted you then.”

You blinked wide eyes and Steve shrugged.

“I was in college and an idiot. My Bucky phase.”

You gave a soft laugh and Steve moved his other hand to your back, slowly dragging his fingers up and down. You gave a sigh, looking back into his eyes.

“Then you met Peggy.”

He shrugged his wide shoulders again.

“I loved her. I’m not even going to try and deny it. I thought she was the one for me.”

You nodded, and he went on.

“But now I … I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I was wrong.”

You nodded, looking back to the hollow of his throat, blinking back the sudden tears.

“I don’t want to mess this up.”  
“We won’t.”

You gave a shaky laugh.

“I feel like we’re on a bullet train and I can’t make it slow down.”  
“Do you want to slow down?”  
“No.”

You met his eyes again and his lips quirked up in a half-smile.

“Why are you crying?”  
“Because it’s what I do now.”

He gave a soft laugh and you moved your hands to his neck, letting your thumbs move through his beard. You took in a breath as his warm hands moved to your hips and you shook your head. You started to open your mouth, then stopped, feeling the weirdest … fluttering deep in your belly.

“Y/N? Hey. Talk to me.”

Your wide eyes met Steve’s and you shook your head. You blinked, waiting a moment, but you didn’t feel anything else. Steve gave your hips a squeeze and you looked back to his eyes.

“What? What is it?”

You gave a shake of your head, glancing down before looking back to him.

“I think … I think the baby moved.”  
“What?”

You nodded.

“I think … I think it did.”

Steve moved his hand to your belly and you closed your eyes, taking in a shaky breath at the feel of his hand on you. You shook your head.

“I don’t … I don’t think you can feel it. I barely felt it.”  
“What did it feel like?”

You shook your head.

“I can’t really describe it. It was like … like butterfly wings. Just a … fluttering.”

You shook your head again, staring straight ahead while Steve kept his hand on you. Steve met your gaze, and you smiled, moving a hand to cup his cheek. You could swear you saw a twinkle in his blue eyes and you gave a shaky breath.

_God, please let the baby get his eyes._

You moved your other hand to his face and pulled him closer, closing your eyes as your lips met his. You gave a sigh when Steve straightened, his hands going to your back, pulling you close as he kissed you. You let your arms wrap around his neck, fingers carding through the hair on the back of his head, gasping when his lips went to your neck, gently sucking. You blinked your eyes open and smiled.

“Can you lock your door and we get busy on your couch?”

Steve laughed, lifting his head from your neck.

“I don’t think we can take the chance. Students have a habit of not knocking before they burst into the room.”  
“Which is why we’d lock the door.”

Steve shook his head.

“That’s just a risk I’m not willing to take.”

You sighed and he chuckled, kissing your cheek before stepping away from you.

“Hungry?”  
“Starving.”  
“Then let’s get my girl some lunch.”

You smiled, feeling your cheeks warm. Steve glanced at you from behind his desk, raising an eyebrow. You shook your head, then lifted your shoulders.

“I like that.”  
“What?”  
“What you said.”

Steve narrowed his eyes, then smiled, straightening and walking around the desk.

“About you being my girl?”

You nodded, and Steve switched the lamp on his desk off, reaching out and taking your hand as he leaned against the desk.  

“I happen to like it, too.”  
“Yeah?”

He nodded, tugging on your hand, making you step closer to him. You leaned in, kissing him once, leaning back, both of your eyes widening when your stomach growled.

“Wow.”

You laughed at Steve’s whispered word and you gave his hand a squeeze.

“Come on. Mama needs some pizza.”

Steve stood up, ignoring the sudden intense feeling of being punched in the gut that washed over him, following you out the door.

* * *

 

You moaned as the slightly spicy, tangy, delicious taste of the pizza washed over your tongue. Steve was watching you almost in awe, and you shook your head as you chewed the gigantic bite you’d just taken.

“Oh my  _god_ , this is delicious.”  
“I hope our kid eats like you.”

You smiled as you chewed, shaking your head as you swallowed.

“Try some.”  
“I don’t want to take it from you.”  
“I’m not going to eat the whole thing.”

Steve lifted an eyebrow and you waved a hand at him.

“We’ll order another one.”

Steve gave a laugh, shaking his head. You pushed the pizza towards him and he sighed, taking a slice and biting into it. His eyes widened and he nodded.

“Oh my god.”  
“See?!”

Steve laughed, taking another bite. You took another bite and sighed, and Steve shook his head as he swallowed.

“Am I going to have to be making late-night runs here when you have cravings?”  
“Look at the college professor, using his brain.”

Steve laughed and you slid your foot along his ankle. He smiled at you, eyes darkening just a bit. You took a sip of your water, then leaned forward.

“There is something I wanted to talk about.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, taking another bite of his pizza. You wiped your fingers on a napkin, then rested your elbows on the table.

“Do you want to tell people?”  
“Who have we not told?”

You smiled.

“There are more people in the world besides Buck, Christine, Pep and Tony.”

Steve shook his head.

“No one else matters.”

You laughed, and Steve reached across the table to take your hand. He rubbed his thumb along yours and you shrugged.

“I haven’t told anyone at work.”  
“Yeah, me either.”  
“We could put one of the ultrasound pictures on Facebook.”

Steve snorted.

“I’d really rather not.”

You nodded.

“Yeah, me either. If we haven’t seen each other since high school graduation, why should I show you my baby?”

Steve smiled, taking a drink from his cup of water.

“We can tell people if you want to.”  
“Do you want to?”

Steve gave your hand a squeeze.

“Baby, all the people who I care about already know. I can tell the people I work with or not. Doesn’t matter to me.”

You nodded, smiling softly. You gave his hand a squeeze, then pulled your hand back, finishing off your slice of pizza and grabbing another one. Steve sat back in his seat and watched you, a fond smile on his face.

“Hey, do you think … never mind.”  
“What?”  
“I’m just thinking about those little pickles from the deli—“  
“Like always?”

You narrowed your eyes as you looked at him and he laughed. You smiled, taking a bite of the slice you’d picked up.

“I just think those pickles on this pizza would be delicious.”

Steve made a face that made you laugh, and Steve just stared at you, that soft smile back on his face.

“What?”

He raised his eyebrows and you gave a slight shake of your head.

“Do I have pizza sauce on my face?”

He smiled, shaking his head.

_No, I just love you._

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he held himself back. He stood up and walked around the table, holding onto the back of your chair and leaning down, kissing your lips. He moved a hand to cup your cheek and pulled back, smiling at you.

“I’m going to order you another pizza.”  
“I don’t need—“  
“This is the most I’ve seen you eat in a month. Take it home and have it for dinner.”

You reached up and took hold of his shirt, and he leaned down where you could whisper in his ear.

“Maybe I want  _you_ for supper.”

You smiled, holding your tongue on your teeth.

“And the pizza for dessert.”

Steve leaned his head back and laughed, one hand coming up to his chest. He nodded, face turning red as he walked to the counter. You smiled as you looked down at the lone slice of pizza on the tray, eyes lifting to the empty chair across from you.

“I love you, by the way.”

The words were barely a whisper, and you sighed as you laid a hand on your stomach. You leaned back in your chair and smiled to yourself as that fluttery feeling happened again, deep inside your belly.


	11. The One Where They Almost Mess It Up

You walked into the apartment and slipped your shoes off, wincing when you glanced down and noticed how puffy your feet looked. You gave a groan and walked to the couch, slipping your purse off your shoulder and lying down on your back. You unbuttoned your pants and gave a long exhale, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. 

You started to sit up when the door opened, but you fell back onto the couch when you saw who it was that walked in. 

“Rough day?”

You gave a noncommittal noise, staring up as Steve stepped into your eyeline. 

“You okay?”

You sighed. 

“I don’t know. I just feel … blah.”  
“Did you spend all day in those tight pants?”  
“They fit this morning.”  
“Honey, I mean this with the deepest sincerity: no, they did not.”

You glared at him and he gave you a smile. 

“Did you try the rubber band thing with the button?”  
“Yes, and it didn’t work.”

Steve shook his head, putting his hands on his hips. 

“Then let’s go buy some maternity pants.”  
“No.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I don’t want to think about how fat I am right now, since I’m only going to get bigger as time goes on.”  
“You’re not fat—“  
“Just shut up.”

You maneuvered yourself off the couch, batting Steve’s hand away when he reached out to help you. You marched to the refrigerator and Steve stayed in his spot by the couch, turning towards you.

“What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing.”  
“Not nothing.”

You rolled your eyes, scanning over the meager contents of your fridge. Steve shook his head, stepping closer to you. 

“Have I done something?”  
“What makes you think that?”  
“Because you’re acting all prickly and bitey.”  
“I’m not prickly.”  
“Then why haven’t you kissed me or let me touch you yet?”

You slammed the refrigerator and turned to face him. 

“Is that all I am to you?”

Steve’s eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed. 

“Why the hell would you say that?”

You crossed your arms over your chest and shrugged your shoulders. Steve shook his head as he took a step towards you. 

“What’s the matter with you?”  
“What’s the matter with  _you_?”

Steve rolled his eyes. 

“Y/N, don’t pick a fight with me.”  
“God!”

You threw your hands up, shaking your head. 

“You know what? Maybe you should just go to your own apartment. I don’t really feel like looking at you right now.”  
“Are you shitting me?”  
“Just go.”  
“I came all this way—“  
“Well, I’m sorry to be such a  _huge_ disappointment. Just get the hell out and leave me alone!”

You stalked through the apartment until you got to your bedroom, slamming the door behind you and locking it. You leaned your back against it and covered your face with your hands as you let the tears come. 

 

* * *

 

 

Pepper turned back from the stove when the door swung open, then slammed shut. Tony stuck his head out of the spare bedroom, a towel in his hands. Pepper raised an eyebrow and Steve put his hands on his hips as he turned to face them. 

“What the fuck is wrong with your sister?”  
“Calm down there, Ace.”

Steve glared at Tony, who walked out of the bedroom and tossed the towel over his shoulder before he shook his head. 

“You’re clearly upset, and I’m cool with that, but don’t take it out on Pepper.”

Steve blew out a breath and turned to her. 

“I’m sorry.”  
“It’s okay.”

Steve shook his head, turning back to Tony. 

“I didn’t even do anything. I walked into the apartment and she started.”  
“I’m going to go check on her.”

Tony nodded at Pepper, and Steve glanced back as she went for the door. 

“She locked her bedroom.”

Pepper nodded, making her way across the hall. Steve turned back to Tony and he lifted a shoulder. 

“Taught her how to pick a lock on our first date.”

One side of Steve’s lips quirked up in a smile, before he sighed and walked over to sprawl on Tony’s couch. Tony walked over, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. 

“Tell me what happened.”

Steve gave a laugh. 

“I honestly don’t know. I came home and she was laying on the couch. I asked if she’d had a bad day which somehow morphed into me saying she’s fat and all I want is sex from her, then she told me to go to my apartment and leave her alone.”

Tony nodded. 

“You know about the hormones and stuff that comes with getting knocked up, right?”

Steve rolled his eyes. 

“I’ve read the books, Tony.”  
“And didst thou understandeth what thou readeth?”

Steve couldn’t help but smile. 

“Yeah, I did.”  
“Did you?”

Steve turned to face him. 

“What?”  
“First rule of dealing with women: you’re up a creek without a paddle. You’re drowning before you even get started.”  
“Thanks, Tony. That’s really helping.”

Tony laughed as Steve moved a hand to rub his eyes.

“I’m just saying, don’t try and make sense of shit like this because there isn’t any sense to it. Y/N is hormonal and all out of whack and we’ve just got to ride the waves until the baby comes.”  
“So I’m just supposed to be her punching bag until then?”

Tony sighed. 

“No. But you’ve got to recognize that when she does this it’s not because of you. You’re just the closest target. Let her yell at you. Let her take it out on you. Then take her and hold her and give her something chocolate. Or those little pickles.”

Steve rolled his eyes, then sighed. 

“I just … I don’t like fighting with her.”  
“Uh oh.”  
“Shut up.”

Tony lifted an eyebrow, tapping his fingers on the back of the couch. 

“What do you like about her?”

Steve couldn’t stop the smile that immediately came to his lips. 

“I like the way her hair smells. How soft her hands are. The way her laugh sounds, and how whenever she’s beside me on the couch, she puts her toes up under my leg. I like the way she eats like it’s a religious experience, and the way she puts lipstick on.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Look, the way she does it … I don’t know. It just makes me want to kiss all the lipstick off.”

Tony made a face and Steve chuckled before taking in a deep breath, then letting it out slowly. 

“I like the way she is with all of us. How caring and gentle she is, how loving. She’s going to be an amazing mom.”  
“Yes, she will.”

Steve lifted his eyes to Tony, and he had a soft smile on his face. 

“You love her.”

Steve swallowed, but nodded. 

“Is it too soon?”  
“Eh, who can really say?”  
“When did you know you loved Pepper?”

Tony smiled, looking down at his hands. After a moment, he looked back to Steve. 

“The moment I saw her, I knew I needed to get to know her. The first time she let me kiss her, I knew that she was the only woman I ever wanted to kiss. I can’t tell you one specific moment where I fell in love with her. I just know I don’t want to spend a single minute of my life without her in it.”

Steve nodded, feeling a tug in his heart as he glanced towards the door. 

 

* * *

 

 

You squeezed your eyes closed when a soft knock sounded at your door. You pulled the covers over your head, twisting your body as small as you could get it. After a few moments, the door opened and you poked your head out from under the covers. 

“Are you alright?”

You pulled the cover back over your head as Pepper sighed. She walked over and sat on your bed, tugging the covers back until she could see your face. 

“What’s wrong?”

You rolled onto your back, shaking your head, staring up at the ceiling as tears leaked down your cheeks. Pepper’s voice was soft when she spoke. 

“Honey. What is it?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Steve came over a few minutes ago.”

You shook your head, sniffling. 

“I was awful to him.”  
“Why?”

You shrugged, wiping a hand under your nose. 

“I don’t know. No reason.”  
“What’s really going on?”

You pushed yourself to sit up, closing your eyes when you felt that fluttering again in your belly. You opened your eyes and looked to your sister, then sighed. 

“I don’t feel good.”  
“What’s wrong?”

You shook your head. 

“Nothing hurts, but I … I just don’t feel … right.”  
“Do we need to go to the hospital?”

You shook your head again. 

“Physically, I’m fine. But …”

Tears flooded your eyes as you sniffled. 

“I don’t feel good and I took it out on Steve. He didn’t deserve it. He’s been nothing but great, and I’m just awful to him.”

You looked down as tears dripped from your cheeks onto the comforter. Pepper handed you a tissue and you nodded your thanks before you blew your nose. She gave a soft laugh, then moved closer to you, wrapping her arm around your shoulders. 

“You’re on a rollercoaster of emotions right now with the hormones surging through your body. I don’t know what it’s like, but from what I’ve heard and what I’ve read … it’s a hell of a ride.”

You sniffled, looking over at her. You shook your head and Pepper smiled, leaning over and kissing your temple. 

“Why don’t you try to relax, maybe take a little nap? Let Steve cool off for a while.”  
“He was mad?”  
“Spitting fire. Tony had to tell him to simmer down as soon as he started speaking.”

You sighed, pushing a hand through your hair. 

“See? Why would he even bother trying to be with me when I’m only going to piss him off and hurt him?”  
“Because that’s the point of being with someone.”

You met Pepper’s eyes and she sighed, lifting a hand to smooth over your hair. 

“I can’t tell you how many screaming matches Tony and I have gotten into. Or how many times I’ve made him sleep on the couch. Or how many times I’ve decided to leave him.”

She shook her head, looking down at her wedding rings. 

“But it never pans out, because I love him so damn much. I love him so much it makes me hate him sometimes, but then he looks at me and gives me one of those crooked smiles and I’m gone.”

She looked back at you, smiling softly. 

“If you love Steve like I think you do, then you need to get used to this. Loving this hard and this much, this passionately, makes for some pretty intense goings on.”  
“Do you think I’ve run him off?”  
“Already? You guys have only been together like two weeks.”

You rolled your eyes and Pepper smiled. 

“No, I don’t think you’ve run him off just yet. Steve Rogers is made of hardy stuff, and he can withstand a little fight.”

You nodded, taking in a breath and letting it out slowly. Pepper motioned with her head and you laid down, letting her tuck you in like she used to when you were kids. You felt your eyes getting heavy as she stroked your hair, and you closed them, sighing as you drifted to sleep. Pepper smiled as she gingerly crawled out of your bed, making her way across the hall. 

Steve and Tony were breaking apart from a hug in the living room when Pepper walked through the door. She raised an eyebrow and Tony winked at her. Steve pointed towards the door and Pepper smiled at him. 

“She’s asleep.”

Steve nodded, glancing at the watch on his wrist. 

“I’ll, uh … I think I’ll take a walk.”  
“Want some company?”

Steve smiled. 

“No, but thank you, Mrs. Stark.”

He kissed Pepper’s cheek before he walked out of the apartment, glancing at Bucky and Y/N’s door before he bypassed the elevator and took the stairs. 

Pepper sighed as she shut the door, leaning against it as Tony slowly made his way towards her, hands in his pockets, faded Iron Maiden t-shirt stretched across his chest. Pepper shook her head and Tony smiled. 

“He’s got it bad.”  
“Worse than her? I doubt it.”

Pepper smiled as Tony stopped in front of her, and he tilted his head. 

“You know what they remind me of?”

Pepper’s smile widened. 

“What?”  
“Me and you.”

Pepper nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Do you remember the fight we had about the—“  
“Soap? How you only wanted Dove in the—“  
“You can’t wash your hands with it then put it back in the shower. It’s just not sanitary.”  
“Then what’s the purpose of a shower?”

She shook her head and he smiled, laying his hands on the door on either side of Pepper’s head. 

“That was our first big blow-up.”  
“And it wasn’t even about soap.”  
“Nope. That was just the final straw.”  
“Wasn’t that the first time you told me you loved me?”

Tony closed one eye, tilting his head back and forth. 

“Maybe.”  
“Yes.”  
“You know what I certainly remember about that fight?”

Pepper smiled as she wrapped her arms around him, hands against his shoulders. 

“Making up afterwards?”  
“It’s like you can read my mind.”

Pepper gave a quiet laugh, meeting Tony’s lips when he bowed his head. Tony moved one hand to flip the lock on the door and Pepper broke the kiss before ducking under his arms. 

“I’m going to take a shower.”

Tony bit his bottom lip, nodding as he sighed. He kept his back to Pepper, and she walked back to him, whispering in his ear. 

“And you’re going to join me.”  
“Yep!”

Tony took her hand, making her laugh as he rushed towards the bathroom. 

 

* * *

 

 

You woke up in the middle of the night, feeling the same weird way you’d felt all day. You sat up in the bed and looked to the side, feeling your heart trip when all you saw was an empty bed. You put your face in your hands, then pushed those hands through your hair. 

You were exhausted, but also starving. You crawled out of bed, undressing from the clothes you’d worn all day and slipping on one of Steve’s T-shirts, laying a hand against your tiny bump. You sighed, shaking your head, opening your bedroom door and making your way towards the kitchen. 

You came to an abrupt stop in your doorway, as soon as you saw Bucky’s recliner. Steve was asleep there, slumped over in his jeans and socks, the blanket from the back of the couch over his chest and arms. 

You pressed your lips together as tears came to your eyes, and you walked over, gently brushing your fingers through his hair. Sleepy blue eyes blinked open, and Steve gave a quiet noise before he lifted those eyes to you. He shifted in the chair, sitting up and groaning as his sore muscles made themselves known. You shook your head, speaking softly. 

“What are you doing here?”  
“Waiting for you.”

You shook your head again, and he shrugged. 

“I’m not running just because we had one little fight.”

You moved to sit on the coffee table, looking down at your hands as a tear slipped down your cheek. You shook your head as Steve leaned forward, and you lifted your head to look at him. 

“I’m sorry.”  
“Baby—“  
“I picked a fight with you for no reason. I don’t … I don’t know why. I just …”

You shook your head and Steve reached over, laying a hand on your knee. You gave a shaky sob and sniffled, then met his eyes again. 

“I don’t feel good.”  
“What’s wrong?”

You shook your head, sobbing, the sound only intensifying when Steve moved closer to you, his hands on your thighs, his knees on the outsides of yours, leaning forward until his forehead was on yours. You sniffled again. 

“I don’t know. I just don’t feel right.”  
“What can I do?”

You gave a shaky laugh, shaking your head. 

“I was awful to you. I said mean things to you, and you’re still trying to take care of me.”

Steve gave a quiet sigh, lifting his head until you looked at him. He moved to take your hands and you leaned forward to rest your forehead against his shoulder. 

“You’ve got to talk to me, sweetheart. Tell me when you’re not feeling great and I’ll just sit and hold you all night if that’s what you think helps.”

You gave another quiet sob and Steve moved to kiss your forehead before you stood. He slid back in the chair and you climbed into his lap, closing your eyes when he wrapped his arms around you, resting your head on his shoulder. 

“I’m so sorry, Steve.”  
“Don’t be.”  
“I am.”

Steve sighed, slowly slipping his fingers up and down your spine. 

“We’re going to fight, Y/N. Everyone does. We’re going to piss each other off and wish we’d never met each other and that’s just how it is. But I’m not going anywhere. No matter how hard you try to push me away, I’m here and I’m in this for the long haul.”

You swallowed, moving closer to him, closing your eyes. You took in a deep breath, letting it out as you spoke, your voice barely even a whisper. 

“I love you.”

Steve stopped the gentle rocking rhythm of the chair the two of you had settled into. You gave a shaky breath and continued speaking in the soft whisper. 

“It scares me how much. And I … I don’t know. I guess I was trying to sabotage myself earlier by fighting with you and pushing you away like you said. I don’t want to fight with you.”

Steve was barely breathing, and you closed your eyes, pulling away from him, starting to move out of his lap when his hands tightened around you. You sat back enough to look into his eyes and you shook your head. 

“I cried myself to sleep and then I woke up because you weren’t there. I don’t want to wake up alone anymore.”

His hand lifted to cup your cheek, wiping away the tears that were slipping down your cheeks. You closed your eyes and leaned into his hand, eyes flying open when you heard his voice go low and scratchy. 

“I love you, too.”

You stared into his eyes, seeing him as choked up as you felt. He gave a shake of his head, then smiled at you. 

“I’m so in love with you, and I … I get it. It’s too fast and scary and I don’t want to mess this up.”

He moved a hand to rest over your little bump and met your eyes again. 

“But give me a chance, Y/N. Don’t try and pick fights with me. Let me take care of you and hold your hair back when you get sick.”

You closed your eyes, a smile on your lips. 

“Let me love you, Y/N.”

You opened your eyes, your breath catching in your throat at the look in his eyes. 

_Please God, let the baby get his eyes._

You nodded, and Steve’s eyebrows raised. You licked your lips, laying your hand over his on your belly. 

“Be patient with me.”  
“I will.”  
“Don’t give up on me. I haven’t had the best track record with relationships, and I … I don’t know how to do this.”  
“You think I do? Babe. We can figure it out together.”

You nodded, and Steve moved a hand to brush your hair away from your face, running his thumb over your cheekbone. You gave a shaky smile.

“Together.”

He nodded. 

“Just me and you.”  
“And whoever else decides to come along.”

You both looked down at your belly, where your hands still rested. Steve smiled, moving his warm hand a centimeter over. 

“You know what?”  
“What?”  
“I think it’s a girl.”

Your eyes widened, and Steve shrugged his shoulders. 

“I don’t know, it’s just a feeling I’ve got. Don’t get me wrong: I’m cool with whatever. I just …”

He shrugged again and you smiled. 

“I don’t know what it is. I’ve tried to focus and see if I could tell, and I can’t.”  
“Do you want to find out?”

You looked down at his hand, then met his eyes. 

“Do you?”

He glanced down, then back to you. 

“On one hand, I’d kind of like to be surprised, but …”  
“I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

Steve smiled. 

“Same here, babe.”  
“So we’re going to find out?”

Steve’s smile grew and you gave a soft laugh. 

“Let’s do it.”

You leaned in and kissed him, both of you melting into each other. Steve pulled back, his blue eyes hooded as his gruff voice spoke softly. 

“Can I take you to bed, please?”

You opened your mouth, closing it when your stomach rumbled. Steve raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. 

“Maybe we should get a snack first.”  
“Now there’s an idea I can get behind.”

Steve laughed, and you crawled off of his lap, going to the kitchen. He was right behind you, laying his hands on your hips and kissing your neck as you studied the refrigerator.

“Steve?”  
“Yeah, baby.”  
“Will you do something for me?”

He nodded, moving your hair out of the way, dragging his lips from your neck down your shoulder. 

“I really want a grilled cheese sandwich and you make the best ones.”

Steve chuckled against your skin, pressing his lips to your neck in one final kiss before he lifted you by your hips and sat you on the counter. He kissed your lips, then began making your sandwich as you moved a hand to your belly, the fluttering getting stronger now, almost to the point where someone other than you could feel it. 

You watched Steve at the stove, scooting closer to him and sliding your toes up the back of his leg. He laughed and shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at you. 

“Careful.”  
“I am.”  
“Is eating like swimming? Do we need to wait thirty minutes before we do any strenuous activities?”

You laughed, peeking around Steve and pressing your lips together at the sight of your sandwich. He laughed and shook his head, leaning back and kissing your forehead. 

“Want something to drink?”  
“You know what sounds good?”

He walked to the fridge and opened it, pulling out the gallon of chocolate milk. Your mouth fell open and he set the milk down, walking over and putting a hand on either side of you. 

“When are you going to realize that I know you? I listen to the things you say and the cravings you have and I know right now that you really,  _really_ want some of those little pickles like they have at the deli, but you don’t want to say anything because Bucky keeps making fun of you about them.”

Your eyes were wide as you stared at him, and Steve leaned in closer. 

“I love you.”

You nodded, and he dipped his head to press his lips to yours before he stepped away and took the jar of the pickles he’d bought the day before out of the fridge and set them on the counter beside you. You closed your eyes until he moved back over to you, and you wrapped your arms around him, closing your eyes. 

“I love you, too. And thank you.”

Steve moved back just enough to kiss you again, then turned to the stove. He handed you the sandwich that was now cool enough for you to eat.

“Do you want half?”

Steve smiled. 

“No, baby. I’m making myself one.”  
“You’re a good man, Rogers.”

Steve gave a laugh, continuing to smile as you took a bite of the sandwich and quietly moaned. 

“Oh, this is delicious.”

Steve cleared his throat, flipping the sandwich he had in the pan. You watched him assemble another one and you raised an eyebrow, crunching on a pickle before you spoke. 

“You hungry, Stevie?”

Steve smiled as he glanced over his shoulder, winking at you. You felt your cheeks warm and Steve moved to stand beside you, holding his sandwich in his hand. You leaned over and took a bite of it and his eyes widened, mouth falling open as you laughed. 

“I couldn’t pass it up.”  
“I’m going to make you pay for that.”  
“Oh, please do.”

Steve raised an eyebrow and you shifted on the counter, taking another bite of your pickle. Steve shook his head and laughed under his breath, handing you a glass of chocolate milk. You smiled and took a drink, sighing in pleasure. Steve stepped closer to you, bumping your nose with his. 

“Watch those little noises.”  
“I can’t help it.”  
“And if you keep on, I’m not going to be able to help myself.”  
“Who said I want you to?”

Steve groaned, leaning back and closing his eyes. He moved the hand not holding onto his sandwich to rest against the side of your neck as he brought his lips to yours. He pulled back, watching you breathe hard, smiling when your eyes met his. He winked at you again, then spoke softly. 

“Watch. In about ten seconds, we’re going to encounter a grizzly bear.”

You grinned at him, glancing over your shoulder when Bucky’s bedroom door opened. He stepped out of it with a scowl on his face, sleepy eyes narrowed, scratching his bare chest as he glared at the two of you. 

“Stop doing unmentionable things in my kitchen.”  
“It’s my kitchen, too.”

He just glared at you and you smiled as you leaned closer to Steve. He kissed your shoulder, then turned to the stove. 

“I made you a peace offering.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow, stepping closer and seeing the grilled cheese sandwich. He glared at the two of you for a second longer, then nodded and took the sandwich, taking a bite as he walked back to his room. 

“Keep it down, would you? Some of us need our beauty sleep before an early call tomorrow.”

You lifted a hand to cover Steve’s mouth, shaking your head at whatever comment he was about to give. Steve kissed your palm, stepping back. 

“You done?”

You nodded, pulling one last pickle out of the jar. Steve put the lid on it, then walked to put it back in the fridge. He cleaned up the meager mess he’d made, washed his hands, then turned to you. 

“Tired?”

You shrugged your shoulders. 

“Not exactly.”

Steve nodded. 

“Good.”

He slid his hands under your thighs, lifting you off of the cabinet. You smiled as you looped your arms around his neck, resting your head against his as he carried you into your bedroom.

 

* * *

 

 

You followed Steve into Tony and Pepper’s apartment the next morning, sitting in the chair he pulled back for you, closing your eyes and smiling as he kissed your cheek before he moved for the coffee pot. Pepper and Tony shared a look, and Tony stopped trying to hide his smile when Steve set a Sprite from the refrigerator in front of you. Pepper cleared her throat and you looked over to her. 

“I take it things are better now?”

Steve walked over, laying a hand on your shoulder and gently squeezing. 

“Much better.”

You nodded, laughing softly when Steve bent down to kiss your lips. You moved a hand to rest it against his cheek, laughing again when he rubbed his nose against yours before he straightened and grabbed his mug of coffee. 

“You two are disgustingly cute. Emphasis on ‘disgusting.’”

You laughed, then pointed to Tony. 

“Hey, I didn’t say a word whenever you walked into the room and practically mauled my sister for that solid year when you first got together.”  
“That’s fair.”

You laughed again, moving a hand to your belly when you felt the fluttering again, which was feeling less and less like flutters and more like actual movement. Steve moved closer to the table while still keeping his distance since he was drinking his coffee, and you turned in your chair, until you could rest your foot atop his. Steve nodded to Pepper. 

“Where’re Chris and Bucky?”  
“Christine should be walking in any minute now, and we haven’t heard from Buck yet.”

You glanced behind you at the clock on the stove and nodded. 

“He should be coming in soon.”  
“Why?”

You looked over to Steve and smiled. He smiled back at you and Pepper raised an eyebrow again. 

“What?”  
“We just want to take a poll.”  
“A poll?”

You nodded at Tony as the door opened behind you and Christine stepped in. She went straight to the coffee pot and you smiled as Steve gently massaged your shoulders. The door opened again and Bucky walked in, crowding Christine at the coffee pot until she threatened to pour the hot coffee all over him, and he stepped back. 

“Since the gang’s all here…”

Christine came to sit at the table as Bucky leaned against the sink. They all looked to Steve, but you spoke up. 

“What do you think the baby is?”  
“Do you know?”

You looked to Pepper, then shook your head. 

“Not yet, but we can find out at the appointment tomorrow.”  
“Tomorrow?!”

You smiled at Christine and nodded your head. She threw out a hand towards you. 

“Let’s have a party! We can do a gender reveal.”  
“Not with a hundred people like we did my birthday, please.”

You smiled up at Steve as Tony rolled his eyes. He didn’t see the point of a party unless there was a major guest list. You shrugged your shoulders. 

“We could just do it with us. Have one of those balloons to pop or something?”

Christine gave you a big smile, until you rolled your eyes. 

“Fine, you can be in charge of it.”

Christine threw up her arms in victory and you laughed. 

“Seriously, though. Let’s take a vote. What do you think the baby is? Boy or girl?”

You looked to Tony, who pursed his lips and crossed his arms as he studied you. 

“Boy.”

You raised an eyebrow and he shrugged his shoulders. 

“Call it a hunch.”

You nodded, looking to your sister. Pepper tapped a finger on the table, then nodded. 

“Boy.”  
“Seriously?”

Pepper nodded. You looked to Christine and she shrugged her shoulders. 

“I’ve thought boy since you told us you were pregnant.”

You gave a laugh, looking to Bucky. He took a sip of coffee.

“I’m going to go against the crowd and say girl. I don’t give in to peer pressure.”

You laughed, and Christine nodded towards you. 

“What do you two think it is?”

You looked up at Steve and he smiled. 

“I think it’s a girl.”

Christine raised an eyebrow and Steve shrugged. 

“Call it a hunch.”

Tony rolled his eyes and you laughed. Christine looked to you and you shrugged. 

“I really don’t know. I don’t know if it’s just because I don’t want to say one and be wrong or if I really just can’t tell.”  
“Well, let’s put you in the girl category and we’re split down the middle.”

You smiled as the baby moved again, and Christine rapped her knuckles on the table. 

“Let’s do dinner next Friday and have the reveal after.”

You nodded, looking up to Steve. He nodded, and Tony, Pepper, and Bucky all nodded as well. Christine gave a quiet squeal. 

“This is so exciting!”

You laughed, reaching across the table to grip her hand as Steve rubbed his hand along your arm. 

 

* * *

 

 

You were laying on the table in an exam room, the bottom of your dress pulled up and one of those paper sheets over your legs. Steve was behind you, slowly pacing back and forth. 

“You nervous?”

He stopped pacing and looked to you, then smiled. 

“Nah. Kind of anxious, if we’re being honest.”  
“Still think it’s a girl?”

He smiled as he nodded. 

“You still don’t know?”

You shrugged, moving a hand behind your head to prop it up some. 

“I really don’t know. I’ve tried to sit and think about it. Yesterday, all day long I was thinking boy. But as soon as I walked into the apartment, I thought girl.”

You sighed. 

“I’m ready to find out, though.”  
“Want to get them to tell us and we’ll just act surprised at the party?”

You rolled your eyes, but smiled at him. You reached out a hand and he came to your side, lacing his fingers with yours. He moved a hand to brush his fingers through your hair. 

“What is it?”  
“Do you want it to be a girl?”

Steve smiled. 

“Yes. A little girl just like you.”

You rolled your eyes and snorted, and Steve leaned closer to you. 

“I just want it to be healthy. I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl.”  
“Really?”  
“Really.”

He bent down and kissed you, keeping a hand on your cheek when he pulled back. You met his eyes, speaking softly. 

“You really don’t care?”  
“No, baby. I really don’t. I will be happy with whatever it turns out to be.”  
“I am ready to stop calling it an ‘it,’ though.”

Steve laughed. 

“Me too, doll.”

You bounced your eyebrows and he laughed again, shaking his head as he leaned down to kiss you. There was a knock at the door and you both glanced over as a woman with short blonde hair poked her head in.

“Everybody decent?”

Steve rolled his head on his shoulders. 

“That’s still up for debate.”

She gave a laugh and stepped in, holding out a hand to Steve, then you. 

“I’m Carol. I’ll be doing your ultrasound today.”

You introduced yourself and Carol dragged her machine closer to your table. She pressed a few buttons, then turned to you. 

“Before we get started and I spill the beans on something I don’t need to, do we want to know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

You nodded.

“Our friends want to do a gender reveal, so—“  
“I can write it down and put it in a sealed envelope and you can take that to the bakery or the balloon people or whatever.”

You gave a sigh of relief, and Steve gave your hand a squeeze. Carol grabbed her bottle of gel and you braced yourself for the cold sensation. You jumped anyway, and she apologized under her breath while you gave a laugh. 

“It’s okay. I knew it was coming and still.”

Carol smiled, taking the wand and pressing it to your belly. You and Steve watched the screen, both of your faces breaking into smiles when the baby appeared on the screen. Carol pressed a few buttons as she moved the wand around. 

“Everything’s looking good here. Measurements are normal. Heartbeat is …”

She pressed another button, and you closed your eyes as the room filled with the whooshing sound of your baby’s heartbeat. Steve gave your hand a squeeze and you gave a soft laugh. Carol smiled at the two of you as she pressed more buttons. 

“Heartbeat is excellent. Okay. Now, for the moment of truth. Mom, Dad, cover your eyes.”

You took your hand away from Steve’s, covering both of your eyes. You parted your fingers and met Carol’s eyes. 

“Don’t let him cheat.”  
“Dad, turn around.”  
“Oh, come on. I’m not going to cheat.”  
“Hey, in this room, I’m the captain. Turn.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but turned his back to the screen. He took a step closer to you and covered your eyes with his hand, making you giggle. When Carol was quiet for a stretch of time, you spoke. 

“Can you tell?”

She gave a laugh. 

“Oh yeah. There’s no doubt what it is.”

You heard a few more clicks, and the whir of the ultrasound’s printer before Carol spoke again. 

“Okay, coast is clear.”

You had to bat Steve’s hand away from your eyes, but the smile on his face when you opened your eyes was worth it. You took the paper towels Carol handed you and wiped the gel off of your stomach. She handed you a few pictures, then two envelopes. The first had “Gender” written on the outside, and the other had “Mom and Dad” on it. Carol was smiling when you met her eyes. 

“Take the ‘Gender’ one to whoever’s doing whatever the surprise is for your party. The other one is for you to open after the reveal. It’s photographic evidence so you’ll know I’m telling the truth.”

You laughed. 

“Thank you, Carol.”  
“See you next time.”

She waved to you and Steve, and he helped you off of the table, flipping through the pictures while you fixed your dress. 

“It’s a boy, isn’t it?”

Steve lifted his head, looking back to you. 

“What?”

You laid a hand on your belly and met his eyes. 

“When we asked her if she could tell, she said ‘oh yeah,’ like there was no doubt. It has to be a boy.”  
“Or a very … not modest girl.”

You shook your head. 

“Lord help us if that’s true.”

Steve laughed as he walked over to you, tucking a section of hair behind your ear. 

“I don’t care whether it’s a boy or a girl. I just …”

He licked his lips and you shook your head. 

“What?”

He smiled, putting the pictures and the envelopes on the table behind you. He laid his hands on your shoulders, sliding them down until he was loosely cupping your elbows. 

“I just want to have a baby with you.”

You blinked and he leaned in, kissing your lips. You moved your hands to his sides, just under his ribcage. You broke the kiss, keeping your eyes closed. 

“I love you.”

Steve smiled, kissing you again before taking you in his arms. 

“I love you too, Y/N.”


	12. The One With the Big Reveal

“You really don’t have to—“  
“What did I say?”

You smiled, looking down at your hands. 

“You told me to hush and lay back.”  
“And what are you doing right now? Not hushing or laying back. Work with me here, babe.”

You sighed, laying back on the bed and closing your eyes. You felt the bed move beneath you, and you gasped when Steve’s warm hands began touching your now substantial belly. He was rubbing coconut oil into your skin, something you’d read that could help prevent stretch marks. 

“You okay?”  
“Depends on your meaning of ‘okay.’”

Steve chuckled, slowly moving his big, warm hands over your skin, rubbing the oil in. You gave a soft moan, and Steve moved his hands up, fingers drifting under the shirt—one of his that you’d stolen—you had pulled up just under your breasts. 

“Steve.”  
“Shh. Don’t interrupt me while I’m working.”

You laughed as you kicked at his leg. He laughed and moved his hands down, sliding his fingers up and down your sides before gripping your hipbones and making you moan. 

_“Steve.”_  
“I got you, baby. I’m right here.”

He leaned over and kissed you, and you let your hands come up, holding his face before pushing into his hair. He shook his head as he pulled away, looking down at you. 

“I don’t know if I got it all over—“  
“It’ll be fine.”

He laughed, gripping your hips again and rolling onto his back. You straddled his ridiculously tiny waist, lifting a hand to push your hair back as you looked down at him. He folded his arms behind his head, staring up at you, then moved his hands to cradle your belly. You let your head fall back as he untied to knot you’d put in his shirt and pushed it up. You took hold of it and pulled it over your head, shaking your hair out and looking down at him. He shook his head gently pulling your shoulders until your head was close to his. 

“You’re so beautiful.”

You swallowed and he leaned up to kiss you, resting back when you bent over him, letting your hair fall like a curtain around the two of you. 

 

* * *

 

 

You were laying on your side, curled up next to Steve, your head on his chest. He had one arm holding you close, the other hand resting on your belly. He hadn’t been able to feel the baby move yet, but certainly not for a lack of trying. You smiled as his fingers began tracing patterns over your swollen skin. 

“Are you ready for the party tomorrow?”  
“God yes.”

You giggled, and he sighed before he spoke again. 

“I can’t believe we’ve had to put it off for two weeks and we haven’t given in yet.”  
“It’s not Christine’s fault she got the stomach virus. Or that she passed it around to Bucky. And then Pep and Tony.”  
“I’m just still thanking God that you didn’t get it.”

You smiled, patting a hand to your belly. 

“I think God knows I’ve thrown up enough thanks to this little one.”

Steve nodded, meeting your eyes and smiling. 

“Has Bucky forgiven us for making him move in across the hall?”  
“I think so. Not sure about Pep and Tony, though. Tony can hold a grudge with the greatest of them.”

Steve made a face. 

“Yeah, but not when it comes to you. You just bat your eyelashes and lay a hand on the belly and the guys melt.”

You snorted. 

“ _Our_ guys melt. Regular guys just look at me on the subway and go back to their phones.”  
“Assholes.”

You laughed, rolling to your back, laying your head on Steve’s shoulder. He linked his fingers through yours and you sighed. You closed your eyes, smiling when Steve’s soft voice danced at your ears. 

“Have I told you I love you today?”

You lifted your shoulders, smiling wider when his lips pressed against your temple. 

“I love you.”  
“I love you too, Stevie.”  
“How much?”

You snorted. 

“What do you want?”  
“One of the fudgesicles from the freezer.”  
“Oh my  _god_ , that sounds  _amazing_.”

Steve nodded. 

“Exactly. Go get us one.”

You barked out a laugh, propping yourself up on your elbow, staring at him with wide eyes. He held a hand to his chest and threw his head back laughing, then shook his head. 

“If you could see your face…”  
“Steven Grant Rogers, you are the  _worst!_ ”

He laughed some more, sitting up and grabbing his boxers from the floor, pulling them on before leaning over the bed, over you. 

“But you love me anyway?”

You stared into his blue eyes, then nodded, reaching up to hold his face, drifting your thumbs through his beard. 

“I do.”

He leaned down to kiss you, and you closed your eyes, reveling in the feel of his lips against yours. He groaned as he pulled away, shaking his head and dipping his fingers along the elastic of his boxers, righting them. 

“You’re going to be the death of me.”

He opened your bedroom door and walked into the living room, heading for the kitchen. He was back in less than two minutes, handing you a plastic-wrapped popsicle. You smiled as you tore open the wrapper, sighing when the cold chocolate treat hit your tongue. 

“Is it good, baby?”

You nodded, slurping the popsicle as Steve cleared his throat. He took a bite of his own treat and you made a face. 

“How do you do that?”

He shrugged, sucking on the popsicle a bit. 

“Teeth of steel, baby.”

You rolled your eyes, licking your popsicle before smiling at him. 

“You know what tomorrow is, right?”  
“Our party. Easy. Next question.”

You giggled, shaking your head. 

“No! I’ll be twenty weeks tomorrow. Halfway there.”

Steve blinked, holding the popsicle in his hand. 

“Oh, wow.”  
“Right?”  
“Halfway already?”

You nodded. 

“We need to get on the ball, huh? We’ve got cribs to buy, diapers to stock up on. We need to find a stroller, and I don’t know, but I think we should be registered for preschool by now.”

Steve laughed, reaching over and patting your hand. 

“We’ve still got some time on the preschool front. As for the other stuff …”

He laid his hand on your belly, which was covered by a sheet since you’d gotten cold. He smiled, meeting your eyes. 

“We’re having a baby.”

You smiled, leaning in closer to him. 

“Yes, we are.”

You kissed him, going back to your side of the bed and finishing off your popsicle. Steve finished his own popsicle, mind beginning to swirl with ideas. 

 

* * *

 

 

You tried to make sure to incorporate both pink and blue into your outfit, trying not to favor one color over the other. You took the time to curl your hair, putting effort into your makeup and double-checking to make sure you used the waterproof mascara. 

Steve stood at the doorway, watching you with a soft smile on his face. He had on a white t-shirt and dark jeans and you shook your head, smiling as you applied your lipstick. 

“Are you going to wear that?”  
“What’s wrong with this? I thought you loved my white T-shirts.”  
“I do. But are you going to wear white and stay neutral or pick a side?”  
“I could combine, like you.”

You smacked your lips, then turned to face him. He shrugged. 

“What? Pink shirt, blue tie? Blue shirt and a pink tie? Or can my jeans count as my something blue and just wear a pink shirt?”

You smiled as you looked away, then back to him. 

“I’m not going to tell you how to dress. Wear what you want.”  
“I do think you look amazing.”  
“Well, we are calling this a party. And you know how Tony gets about parties and dress codes.”  
“Shit. So the T-shirt’s out.”

You made a face. 

“Sorry, Charlie.”

Steve huffed out a breath, walking towards your closet. He pushed a few of his shirts aside, and you pressed your lips together. 

When had his shirts found their way into your closet? You looked to the little table where you always sat to put your makeup on and saw his phone, his wallet. His toothbrush was in the bathroom. His shampoo in the shower. Well, he and Bucky kind of shared the shampoo, because they were guys and didn’t need hair-specific products like you. 

The baby rolled in your belly and you moved a hand there, letting out a breath. 

“Babe?”

You looked over to him and he raised an eyebrow, hands stilled on the collar of the shirt he’d just slid on. You smiled. 

“I’m fine.”  
“You sure?”

You nodded, smoothing your hand over your belly. Steve walked over to you, his shirt unbuttoned. He laid his hands on either side of your stomach and you closed your eyes. 

“We’re finally going to find out what it is.”  
“I know.”  
“So we can stop calling it ‘it.’”  
“We could not find out and just keep calling it the random fruit or vegetable it’s the size of this week.”

Steve nodded. 

“What’s this week?”  
“Sweet potato.”  
“Oh, now that’s cute.”

You giggled, and Steve leaned a bit closer to you, his forehead resting against yours. You closed your eyes, listening to his voice go soft. 

“What do you think, my little sweet potato? Kick if you think we should find out.”

You bit your tongue to keep from laughing when no response came from your stomach. Steve gave an exasperated huff of breath and you laughed, laying your hands over his. 

“It’ll happen, I promise.”  
“It’s like the kid knows, and it’s just toying with me.”

You laughed again, kissing his lips, using your thumb to wipe away the smudge your lipstick left behind. Steve smiled, licking his lips as you began buttoning his shirt. 

“Are you excited?”

You nodded, then gave a quiet laugh. 

“I’m nervous.”  
“Nervous? Why?”  
“I don’t know.”

You moved your hands over his chest, smoothing over imaginary wrinkles in his shirt. 

“Baby. Hey.”

You met his eyes and shook your head. 

“I don’t know why.”  
“Do you not want to find out?”  
“They’ve gone to all this trouble.”  
“Hey, stop.”

Steve took your hands in his, holding them to his chest. 

“Look at me.”

You met his eyes and he spoke again. 

“Be honest with me. It doesn’t matter to me one way or another. What do you want?”

_I want the baby to get your eyes._

You swallowed, staring at him, voice barely a whisper. 

“I want you to kiss me.”

Steve smiled, letting go of your hands and taking hold of your face, kissing you gently as you held onto his waist. After a long kiss that left the pair of you breathless, you lifted your head and met his eyes, a smile coming over your face. 

“I want to find out.”  
“You’re sure?”

You nodded, and Steve smiled. 

“Okay, then. Let’s go.”

He made a few minor adjustments to his wardrobe, and you smiled at the white button-up he was wearing, one that had tiny blue and pink stripes all over it. He looked over to you and shrugged. 

“Did I buy this shirt solely for this night? I’ll never tell.”

You laughed, accepting his arm when he offered it to you, the two of you making your way across the hall. 

 

* * *

 

 

Your mouth hung open when you stepped into Tony and Pepper’s apartment, and Steve gave a low whistle beside you. Pink and blue decorations covered nearly every available surface. Balloons, streamers, confetti, tablecloths, plates, napkins, cups, even the two punch bowls were filled with pink and blue liquid. Christine gave a quiet squeal and hurried over to you, a huge smile on her face. 

“What do you think?”

You nodded, searching for the words, closing your mouth when Bucky spoke up from across the room. 

“It looks like a gender reveal party threw up in here.”

You tried to hide your smile, but gave up when Christine rolled her eyes. 

“Ignore him. We all do.”  
“Shut up, Palmer.”

You giggled and gave Steve’s hand a squeeze, then stepped forward and wrapped Christine in a hug. 

“I love it.”  
“It is a little … overboard, isn’t it?”  
“No, it’s perfect.”

Christine smiled, and Steve leaned over to kiss her cheek. Tony walked into the apartment then, briefcase in hand, mouthing  _“wow”_ as he slid his sunglasses down his nose. He slid the glasses to the top of his head and kissed your cheek, then Christine’s before she looped her arm through yours. 

“Come here. Are you thirsty? We’ve got pink lemonade or the blue Hawaiian Punch.”  
“Ooh, Hawaiian Punch.”

When you walked with Christine towards the drinks, Steve stepped closer to Tony. 

“Hey, do you have a minute?”  
“Can I change?”

Steve nodded, and Tony stopped just outside the bedroom, one eyebrow raised. 

“Hey.”

Steve met his eyes and Tony narrowed his own. Steve smiled and Tony nodded. 

“Give me ten minutes.”

Steve nodded, making a face when he was suddenly surrounded by neon blue feathers. 

“What the fuck is this?”  
“More decorations Palmer went overboard with.”

Bucky wore a matching neon pink feather boa, and Steve shook his head. 

“I appreciate you going along with the theme.”

Bucky grinned, popping the collar on his pale pink shirt. 

“I told you, it’s a girl, and you’re naming it after me.”  
“Yes, little Bucky Rogers will be too cute.”

Steve rolled his eyes and Bucky punched his arm. 

“Boys, no fighting.”

You smiled, walking to your sister and giving her a hug. She rubbed a hand over your belly and you rolled your eyes. 

“Nice dress.”

Pepper held out her hands, then smoothed them down the front of her baby blue dress. 

“I’m on Team Boy, what can I say?”

You looked back to Christine, and she held up her arm, the flowy sleeve of her navy blue shirt wiggling when she did. 

“Also Team Boy, but open to suggestions.”

She pulled her shirt aside and you laughed when you saw the pink tank top she had on underneath. 

“Nice.”

Christine smiled, and she led you to the table where the smorgasbord of food was set up. You shook your head and popped a green olive in your mouth. Christine made a face and you shook your head. 

“You made the menu.”  
“Yeah, and I included the olives because I know you like them so much. But still. Yuck.”

Just for that, you took another olive and ate it. Pepper just shook her head, smiling when Tony breezed by her, kissing her cheek and grabbing two beers from the fridge. Christine shook her head, pointing at Tony. 

“Hey, those aren’t pink or blue.”  
“Thank God, am I right?”

Christine rolled her eyes, and you laughed as Tony handed one of the beers to Steve, both of them twisting the tops off as they walked onto the balcony. Bucky frowned and hurried to the fridge, grabbing his own beer, grumbling under his breath as he walked out onto the balcony.

“Think they’re leaving me alone with all these women and pregnancy hormones? Out of their goddamn minds.”

You laughed, laying a hand to your belly and turning to face the women. Pepper sat on the couch and patted the cushion beside her. 

“You excited?”

You smiled at your sister as you sat down and nodded. Christine had a big smile on her face when she walked over, handing you a topped-off glass of blue punch, sitting beside you. 

“So I was thinking we could snack and graze until our little hearts are content, and when the sun goes down, we can do the big reveal.”

You nodded, taking a sip of your drink. 

“Have you guys started talking about names?”

You shook your head. 

“Well … yes and no. Like, the other day, Bucky was binge-watching  _True Blood_  again and Steve looked at me and said ‘Sookie.’ I vetoed that one real quick.”

Pepper laughed. 

“Sookie Rogers is cute.”  
“Ugh, no it’s not.”

Christine smiled, then pointed at you. 

“What about Nora? I always liked Nora on  _True Blood_.”

You pursed your lips. 

“Nora Rogers.”

You shook your head. 

“That sounds too much like Nora Roberts, and I love reading her books.”

The girls nodded, and Christine shifted on the couch. 

“Question.”

You and Pepper turned to her and she lifted a finger. 

“Are you going to name the baby Rogers? I mean, you could hyphenate. Potts-Rogers. Or just Potts. I mean, it is the 21st century.”

You nodded, looking down at your rapidly-disappearing lap. You sighed, then looked to her and smiled. 

“I haven’t cleared it with Steve yet, but I want the baby to be a Rogers. Not that I don’t like our name, but…”

You patted Pepper’s leg, then shrugged. 

“I don’t know. I just want the baby to have Steve’s name.”  
“Old-fashioned.”

You smiled at Christine, then nodded. You glanced towards the balcony, smiling when you noticed Steve’s eyes on you. He winked and you felt your cheeks warm, laughing when Bucky shoved him a few seconds before Steve rolled his eyes and shoved Bucky back. 

“Disgusting.”

You looked to Christine and she shook her head. You laughed, then patted her and Pepper on their legs. 

“Come on. Mama’s hungry.”

You started towards the food, raising an eyebrow when you saw Tony smile widely before wrapping Steve in a hug. Bucky was grinning widely off to the side and you smiled, shaking your head before turning your attention to the food. 

 

* * *

 

 

“Okay, is everybody ready?”

Five heads nodded and Christine pulled a box from the refrigerator. 

“Inside this box are six cupcakes. Five of the cupcakes have vanilla icing in the middle. One cupcake has either pink or blue filling. When we get to the one person who has the colored filling, the rest of us have these … rocket things that will shoot out the corresponding color confetti. Got it?”

Everyone nodded, and Christine went about walking with the box, letting each person grab a cupcake. When everyone had one, she looked around the room. 

“How should we do it? Everybody take a bite at once or one by one?”  
“One by one.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with Tony, and he shrugged. 

“I’ll go first.”

He took a bite out of the cupcake, chewing and frowning as he looked at the remainder in his hand. 

“White.”  
“Me next!”

Christine took a bite of her cupcake, poking her bottom lip out. 

“Aw, mine’s white, too.”  
“The cupcake is delicious, though.”

Christine nodded, taking another bite as Tony licked his finger. Pepper rolled her eyes, but stepped forward. 

“My turn.”

She took a dainty bite, then shook her head. 

“White.”  
“Me next.”

Bucky took a massive bite of his cupcake, chewing widely before giving a shake of his head. 

“It’s white.”

Christine blew out a breath and rolled her eyes. 

“You’re such a dude. Don’t talk with your mouth full. Swallow. Don’t!”

She held up a finger when Bucky’s eyes went wide, surely to give her a crass retort. He closed his mouth, chewing as he rolled his eyes, and you laughed, moving a hand to your belly. Steve glanced over to you and you nodded at him. He took a bite of his cupcake, glancing down and shaking his head. Christine gasped and clapped her hands. 

“Oh my gosh, this worked out perfectly! It’s all up to Y/N now!”

You swallowed, staring down at the cupcake in your suddenly trembling hand. Tears leapt to your eyes, and you tried in vain to blink them away. 

“Baby?”

You lifted your eyes to see Steve standing in front of you. 

“What’s wrong?”

You shook your head, the tears spilling down your cheeks. Pepper took the cupcake from your hand as Steve stepped closer and took you into his arms. You shook your head, putting your face in his neck. One of Steve’s hands held the back your head while the other gently rubbed over your shoulder. You clutched him, breathing in the scent of his cologne until you’d calmed. You leaned back and stared up at him, ignoring Bucky, Christine, Pepper, and Tony, who blended into the background, busying themselves to try and give you and Steve some privacy. Steve’s hand moved to cup your face. 

“What is it, baby?”

You gave a shaky exhale. 

“I don’t know. I just … I didn’t think it would come down to me.”  
“Do you still want to do it?”

You slowly nodded, and Steve rubbed his thumb along your cheek. 

“It’s not too late. We can go home; they won’t mind.”  
“They went to all this trouble.”  
“Hey, hey. Don’t worry about that.”

You closed your eyes, leaning into Steve’s hand. You took in a deep breath and sighed. 

“This is about you, Y/N. What do you want? Yeah, we want to find out, but you know … we’ve waited twenty weeks already. What’s twenty more?”

You gave a quiet laugh, sighing again before opening your eyes. Steve was smiling at you, and he leaned in, kissing your cheek, then your lips. You breathed in, then nodded. 

“I want to do it.”  
“You’re sure?”

You nodded. Steve turned away from you and picked up the remaining cupcake, holding it in his outstretched hand. You took in a deep breath, taking the cupcake and unwrapping it, then taking a bite. 

You looked down at the cupcake, at the colored filling staring back at you. You gasped, covering your mouth as tears filled your eyes again. You looked up at Steve, whose eyes were wide in anticipation. You turned the cupcake so he could see it, and he sucked in a breath, letting it out in a laugh before he took you in his arms and twirled you around. 

“Oh, fuck this. Do it!”

Bucky nodded to Christine, Pepper, and Tony, and they twisted the slim cannons they were each holding, everyone gasping and laughing as pink confetti rained down on you and Steve. You shook your head, tears in your eyes and a wide smile on your face. 

“It’s a girl!”

Steve laughed right along with you, shaking his head, laying his hands on your stomach. 

“It’s a girl. We’re having a girl!”

You threw your head back, shaking confetti from your hair, closing your eyes and smiling. 

“Whoa.”

You straightened, looking to Steve, who was staring at your belly with wide eyes. The room that was borderline chaotic a second earlier seemed to freeze. You shook your head and Steve met your eyes. 

“She moved.”  
“You felt it?”

Steve nodded, dropping to one knee, keeping his hands on your stomach. You stared down at him, smiling when the baby rolled under his hands. His eyes shot up to yours and you nodded as a smile spread over his face. He got back to his feet, shaking his head. 

“I love you.”

You smiled, moving into his arms and kissing him. 

“Whoa! Back up a second!”

You and Steve broke apart, you staying in his arms with your back against his chest as the two of you turned to Christine. She looked shocked, Bucky and Tony had knowing smiles on their faces and Pepper had her hands clutched together at her chest. Christine shook her head. 

“You guys love each other?”

You and Steve nodded, and Christine put her hands on her hips. 

“Well, when the fuck did that happen?”

Steve smiled, kissing your hair. 

“Couple, three weeks ago.”  
“I knew it. I fucking  _knew it._ ”

You smiled at Bucky, laying your head on Steve’s shoulder. Bucky cleared his throat, then held up a hand. 

“I just want everyone to realize that I was right.”  
“Oh, for the love of God.”  
“I said it was a girl, it’s a girl, thank you, thank you.”  
“Eat shit, Barnes.”

You laughed at Christine rolling her eyes and Bucky’s shocked look, moving a hand to your belly, where your daughter was kicking. Steve laid a hand on top of yours, and you slid yours out from under his, moving it to where he could feel the baby again. He gave a quiet laugh, moving to kiss your cheek again. 

“I love you.”  
“I love you, too.”  
“I can’t believe it’s a girl.”  
“I can’t believe you were right.”

Steve snorted, nosing your jaw. 

“Give me  _some_ credit here.”

You moved a hand to card your fingers through his hair and you made a face. 

“You are covered in confetti.”  
“So are you. There’s pink glitter  _everywhere_.”

You gave a soft laugh, closing your eyes and leaning into him. He wrapped his arms around you, enveloping you against him, his hands holding onto your belly. 

Where your little  _girl_ was growing. 


	13. The One Where the Past Comes Back to Haunt

You were sitting in Bucky’s recliner, balancing the remote on your belly, smiling when the baby would move and knock it off. You turned towards the door when it opened, smiling when you saw Steve walk in. 

“Hey, Big Daddy.”

Steve snorted, one hand on the refrigerator as a massive yawn rolled through his body. You raised an eyebrow and he shook his shoulders and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. 

“You thirsty?”

You shook your head and he twisted the top off, taking a long drink. You wrinkled your nose when you saw how sweaty he was. 

“What have you been doing?”

He looked to you, raising his eyebrows. You shook your head. 

“You’re gross.”

Steve raised one eyebrow and your eyes widened as you shook your head. 

“Don’t.”  
“Hey, you started it.”  
“Steve, I mean it.”

He started to round the kitchen counter and you tossed the remote aside, struggling to get out of the chair. 

“This isn’t fair.”  
“Oh, why not?”  
“Because I can’t move like I used to with all this extra weight!”  
“Damn. Guess you automatically lose, huh?”  
“Steve!”

You squealed as he took your hands, lifting you to your feet and wrapping you in his arms. You moaned and groaned, pushing him away and making a disgusted face. 

“You’re disgusting!”  
“But you love me!”

You shook your head, keeping your face scrunched up. 

“No, I don’t. Not right now. Yuck.”  
“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that.”  
“I need a shower. You seriously do stink, and now I do, too.”  
“I can help you with that.”

You rolled your eyes, shoving him as you made your way to the bathroom. 

“I should make you go to your apartment and shower.”  
“Do you want me to go?”

You stopped at the bathroom door, turning back and seeing Steve standing by Bucky’s recliner, wearing gym shorts and a sweat-stained gray shirt. You couldn’t deny the double-thump your heart gave, and you blinked, shaking your head. 

“No, I don’t.”  
“You sure?”

You nodded, holding out a hand. Steve glanced at the floor and your voice was barely a whisper. 

“Steve.”

He looked over to you, walking over and taking your hand, closing his eyes when you hugged him, getting as close to him as you could. 

“I thought you said I stink.”  
“Just hold me.”

He did, and you gave a shaky sigh, resting your cheek against his shoulder, your forehead against his chin. Steve gently ran his hand up and down your arm and you exhaled again. You pulled back from him and looked up until you met his eyes, going on your tiptoes, his hands going to your waist to steady you. You kissed him while you stared into his eyes, until his eyes drifted shut. You closed your eyes as well, going back onto your flat feet as Steve deepened the kiss, moving his hands to your face and holding you there as his tongue pressed against yours. 

“Oh, for the love of God.”

You giggled as you broke away from Steve, looking across the room to where Bucky stood, hands on his hips. He shook his head, pointing at the two of you. 

“Take it to the bedroom. I need a shower.”  
“Sorry, but if I have to smell Steve a few more minutes, I’m going to throw up.”  
“Thanks, babe.”

You giggled again and Bucky shook his head, starting to take a step forward. Steve grabbed your hand and pulled you into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him. Bucky started yelling and cursing and you laughed, the sound ending abruptly when Steve pressed you against the door, leaning down and fixing his mouth on your neck. You gasped, hands flying to his thick shoulders, moaning his name softly. Steve groaned against your neck, lifting his head. 

“I don’t know if I can make it through the shower. I need you.”

You nodded. 

“Want to let Bucky have it?”  
“We’re just going to get all sweaty anyway.”

You nodded again, unlocking the door and wrenching it open. 

“Buck!”

He poked his head out of his room in time to see Steve literally sweep you off your feet and carry you into your bedroom. Bucky made a face, closing his eyes as he heard you yell out. 

“Don’t use all the hot water!”

Bucky nodded, hurrying towards the bathroom as grunts and moans and the headboard hitting the wall began sounding from your room. Bucky shook his head, pulling the curtain across and turning on the shower. 

“At least the water will drown out the worst of it. Ugh.”

 

* * *

 

 

“What about Kristen?”  
“No.”

You looked up from the baby name book you were holding. 

“ _Another_ old girlfriend?”

Steve shook his head. 

“Kristen used to steal my Rice Krispie treats in third grade.”

You rolled your eyes. 

“No to Candice, no to Kristen. Definitely no to Gracie, since that was the girl you had your first kiss with.”  
“That’s a good memory, though.”

You stopped, looking to the kitchen. 

“Who’d you lose your virginity to?”  
“Oh, so we’re going there?”  
“I don’t want our daughter’s name to remind you of the first time you … did it.”

Steve made a face, closing his eyes. 

“Oh my god. Yeah, you’re … Jesus.”

You laughed at the abject horror on his face, moving a hand to your belly, where the baby seemed to be turning flips. Steve shook his head and coughed. 

“Gwen.”  
“She was your first?”

Steve nodded, turning back to the stove. You flipped a page in the book. 

“Then no to Gwen and all its variations. No Gwendolyn, no Guinevere.”  
“Guinevere Rogers.”

Steve glanced over his shoulder at you and you shook your head. 

“Veto.”

He smiled and you closed the book, setting it aside, lacing your fingers together and resting your hands on the swell of your belly. 

“I’m twenty-two weeks now.”  
“Oh, yeah?”

You nodded. 

“Five months.”

Steve smiled over his shoulder at you. 

“Five down, four to go.”

His eyes widened. 

“Holy shit, only four more months?”  
“Exactly why we need to work on this baby naming thing.”

You grabbed the book again and flipped a few pages. 

“Adelaide.”  
“Hard pass.”

You laughed, thumbing a few more pages. 

“Hermione.”  
 _“‘Yer a Wizard, Harry.’”_

You laughed at the accent Steve put on, laying a hand to your belly. 

“Persephone.”  
“Seriously?”

Steve turned from the stove at that. 

“The … consort of Hades?”  
“Wife.”  
“Whatever. I’m sorry, but I am not naming my daughter after Persephone. She had a miserable life.”

You smiled, but it faded from your face as you blinked, then winced. You dropped the book as both hands went to your belly, and you groaned, hearing Steve call your name a few seconds before he was kneeling in front of you. 

“Talk to me, baby.”  
“Hurts.”  
“What hurts?”

You shook your head and moaned, gripping his shoulder. 

“What can I do? Do we need to go to the hospital? Y/N, stop holding your breath. Breathe.”

You did as he said, shaking your head. You moaned as the pain seemed to roll through your belly, and neither one of you noticed the door opening. 

“Hey, what’s … Y/N?”

Bucky dropped his bag at the door, running over to the chair where you were doubled over with Steve in front of you. 

“What happened?”

Steve shook his head. 

“She was fine. We were talking baby names, and then—“  
“I’m okay.”

You winced as soon as you said it and Steve shook his head. Bucky took hold of one of your hands. 

“Look at me.”

You did, and he spoke calmly and clearly. 

“What does it feel like?”  
“It hurts.”  
“Like what? Burning? Stabbing?”

You shook your head. 

“It’s like cramping.”  
“Is it stopping?”

You shook your head. Bucky looked to Steve and nodded towards the bathroom. 

“Go run a bath. Not hot, just warm.”  
“Buck, she—“  
“Do it.”

Steve stood up, running to the bathroom. Bucky lifted your hand to his lips, kissing your fingers before letting your hand go, hurrying to the kitchen before coming back to you. He handed you a bottle of water. 

“Drink it.”  
“I don’t know if I can.”  
“Try.”

He’d twisted the top off and you lifted the bottle to your lips, taking a tiny sip. You swallowed it, and when Bucky nodded, you took another sip. Steve came back when you were almost finished with half of the bottle, and you could breathe a little easier. Bucky and Steve helped you stand, walking with you to the bathroom, and Bucky left you with Steve, who helped you undress as you tied your hair on top of your head. You gave a sigh of relief when you sank into the water, and Steve wet a wash rag, gently squeezing water over your shoulders. 

It was quiet for a moment, and you looked up and saw Steve’s eyebrows furrowed, deep lines in his forehead as he re-wet the rag and pressed it to the side of your neck. 

“Steve?”

His eyes met yours and you gave him a smile. 

“I’m okay.”

He nodded and you moved a hand to gently hold his wrist. 

“It’s easing.”  
“You scared me.”  
“I’m sorry.”

Steve shook his head. 

“Don’t apologize.”  
“Don’t be mad.”  
“I’m not—“

Steve gave a harsh exhale. 

“I’m not mad.”

He shook his head and his eyes met yours. You tilted your head to the side, smiling softly. 

“Then what’s wrong?”

Steve bared his teeth for a split-second. 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”  
“I feel a lot better now. I think those may have been Braxton Hicks contractions.”  
“You shouldn’t be having contractions at all.”

He moved to sit beside the tub, arm resting on it, letting his head fall back and closing his eyes. You looked down at your stomach, then spoke softly. 

“Steve?”

He blew out a breath, shaking his head. You took hold of the arm he had resting on the side of the tub, making him sit up as you laid his hand against the curve of your belly, seeing his lips quirk up in an almost involuntary smile when the baby nudged his hand. He met your eyes and you shook your head. 

“We’re okay, honey.”  
“You scared me.”  
“I know. I’m sorry.”  
“Don’t apologize.”

He moved his hand and you sighed, shifting in the water to rest your head against the side of the tub near him. He shifted too, resting his forehead against yours. 

“I love you.”

You smiled, speaking as softly as Steve had. 

“I love you, too.”  
“Are you ready to get out?”

You nodded. Steve stood up and pulled a fluffy towel out of the closet, laying it beside the sink, then turning and offering you his hands. You let him help you stand up, laying a hand against your belly as he pulled the latch to drain the tub. He wrapped the towel around you, staying close to you as you stepped out of the tub and onto the fluffy mat. You stayed against his side as the two of you walked from the bathroom to your bedroom. You dressed in one of Steve’s t-shirts and crawled into the bed, watching Steve as he took his watch off, laying it on your dresser. He glanced back at you, raising an eyebrow. You smiled, shaking your head. 

“I just …”  
“What, babe?”

You leaned back against the pillows, one hand gently rubbing over your belly. 

“I don’t know when it happened.”  
“What?”  
“When your clothes got in my closet and your wallet found a spot on my dresser.”

He stopped, turning back to look at you as you smiled. 

“When my toothbrush moved over to make room for yours.”

Steve smiled. 

“When my shirts started—and still happen to keep—mysteriously disappearing?”

You grinned and nodded, your breath catching as Steve tugged his shirt over his head. He dropped his jeans, coming to you and crawling in bed beside you. He lifted a hand to cradle your face, letting his thumb rub across your cheek. His voice was barely a whisper. 

“Is it okay?”

You nodded, leaning into his hand. 

“I don’t know when it happened, but I’m glad it did.”  
“Me too, baby.”

You sighed, closing your eyes as he leaned in, kissing you gently. He let his hand fall and you burrowed into the bed, rolling onto your side and sighing, smiling when Steve lay down beside you, scooting his chest against your back, looping an arm over you and pulling you close to him. You glanced back at him and smiled. 

“I like being your little spoon.”

Steve laughed, kissing your lips, then your forehead. 

“I like it too, sweetheart.”  
“I love you.”

Steve swallowed, pulling you closer. 

“I love you, too. Sweet dreams.”

You took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as you drifted to sleep almost immediately. 

But sleep was a long time coming for Steve. 

 

* * *

 

 

“No, I’ve got that doctor’s appointment this afternoon. I ate a late breakfast and I’m going to see if I can talk Steve into a snack afterwards.”

Pepper laughed and you balanced the phone between your ear and your shoulder as you went onto your tiptoes to grab a ponytail holder from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. You went back to your flat feet and shook your head. 

“I don’t know what’s up with him lately, but ever since the other night where I had those contractions or whatever, he’s been acting weird.”  
 _“Weird how?”_

You shook your head, setting the phone on the counter and flipping it to speakerphone as you grabbed your hairbrush. 

“He’s quiet, like something’s bothering him, but every time I ask, he says he’s fine. He holds me so tight every night. Not that I’m complaining about that, but … I don’t know. And I don’t think he’s getting enough sleep, either.”  
 _“Look at you, acting like a mama already.”_

You rolled your eyes as you twisted the band around your hair, tightening your ponytail. 

“God, my hair is doing fabulous.”  
 _“Hormones.”_  
“I’m not agreeing or disagreeing, because I don’t want to jinx it.”

Pepper laughed, and you took hold of your makeup bag, opening it to start getting ready for your appointment. 

“Have you noticed Steve acting weird?”  
 _“Weirder than usual, you mean?”_

You smiled, dabbing foundation on your cheeks. 

“Yes.”  
 _“Well, he was a little quieter than normal when everyone gathered in my kitchen for breakfast yesterday. And he did seem pretty tired.”_

You shook your head as you powdered your face. 

“I don’t know what’s going on with him. You don’t think anything’s up, do you?”  
 _“I know you’re not asking me if he’s cheating on you.”_

You licked your lips, and Pepper gave an exasperated sigh. 

_“Y/N Potts, I raised you to be better than this.”  
“_Can you really blame me?”  
 _“Yes! That man loves you wild. You cannot actually believe he’d cheat on you. Steve is not that kind of man. He’d rather chew his own arm off than hurt you.”_

You closed the toilet lid and sat on it, grabbing a handful of toilet paper and pressing it against your leaking eyes. 

_“Y/N? Are you okay?”_

You didn’t answer, just sniffled, and Pepper sighed. 

_“Are you crying?”_  
“Of course I am.”

Pepper gave a soft laugh. 

_“Honey, you’ve got to talk to him. Don’t just sit back and think up situations that are nowhere near the truth.”_

You nodded, sniffing again before you let out a shaky sigh. 

“I’ve just never felt this way about anyone. I don’t know why I’m just sitting around, waiting for the other shoe to drop.”  
 _“Why does there have to be another shoe?”_  
“Because that’s the way it’s always been.”

You stood up and looked at yourself in the mirror. You sniffled again, grabbing a bit of tissue and dabbing your cheeks. 

_“Steve is different, honey. He loves you, and that’s something I’m sure of.”_

You nodded. 

“I know.”  
 _“Talk to him.”  
“_I will.”  
 _“I’ve got to go.”  
“_Don’t work too hard.”  
 _“I won’t. Love you.”_

You smiled, returning the sentiment before you ended the call. You sighed, looking at yourself in the mirror, sighing again before finishing putting your makeup on.

 

* * *

 

 

You sat in the waiting room and flipped through a magazine, trying to look occupied so Steve wouldn’t notice that you were actually studying him. He was sitting beside you, one arm stretched over the back of your chair, the other hand close to his mouth, since he was constantly yawning. He’d actually dozed off a few times, jolting awake before he’d get too deep into sleep. 

You flipped a page in the magazine, not even bothering to look at the pages. You moved a hand to your stomach, inadvertently elbowing Steve in the process. He shifted in his chair, sitting up and moving his arms in front of him, shaking his head and trying—but failing—to stifle another yawn. 

“You okay?”

You gave a quiet laugh. 

“I’m fine. How are you?”

Steve nodded, moving a hand to your belly. 

“Is she moving around?”

You nodded, moving his hand and watching a smile spread over his lips when the baby rolled under his hand. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Steve lifted his head from looking at your belly and met your eyes. His sapphire eyes seemed dull, lacking their usual spark, with dark circles under them. His beard was a little longer than usual, a little unkempt. He smiled at you and nodded, and you could almost feel the exhaustion rolling off of him. 

“I’m good, babe. Just tired.”  
“Keeping long hours?”

One side of his lips quirked up as he nodded, moving a fist in front of his mouth as he yawned. 

“I’m fine. Ready for the weekend.”

You nodded, both of you looking towards the door when it opened and the nurse called your name. The two of you stood up, following her to an exam room. You didn’t have to get undressed this time, and after you climbed up on the table, you watched Steve sink into the chair in the corner, letting his long legs sprawl in front of him as his head fell back. You started to say something, biting your lip instead when Steve crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. 

You stared at your hands, trying to blink away the tears you didn’t know why were brewing in your eyes. You sniffled and Steve’s eyes opened, his arms falling by his sides as he sat up, opening his mouth and closing it again when a knock sounded at the door and the doctor walked in. 

“Miss Potts, how are you?”  
“I’m good, Dr. Barton. How are you?”

Clint smiled, nodding his head. 

“I’m doing great. Mr. Rogers, how are you?”

Steve stood up, shaking the doctor’s hand. 

“Steve, please.”

Clint nodded. 

“So, how are we doing? Did you go through with the gender reveal?”

You smiled, moving your hands to your belly. 

“Yes, we did. It’s a little girl.”

Clint smiled and nodded. 

“Everything going okay with her?”

You nodded, glancing down at your hands, looking back up quickly when Steve spoke up. 

“I’ve got a question.”

He looked at you and raised an eyebrow. After a minute, you sighed, then looked to the doctor. 

“The other day, I had this really bad … I don’t know. It felt like cramping. And it wouldn’t stop. I didn’t bleed with it or anything, but it really hurt.”  
“What did you do to make it stop?”  
“My roommate made me drink a lot of water and told me to take a warm bath.”

Clint nodded. 

“And that helped?”

You nodded, and he smiled. 

“If that helped you or made the pain stop, then most likely that was a bout of Braxton-Hicks contractions. That’s your body sort of doing a warm up for the real contractions. There’s nothing we can do to stop them, but they don’t really do much damage other than hurt.”

You nodded. 

“But … she’s okay, right?”  
“Has she been moving like she normally does?”

You nodded again, and Clint gave you a smile. 

“Then she’s fine. If you notice a significant change in her movements, then you should get to an ER. But if everything seems normal, then just go with it.”

Steve stepped forward, running a hand over his beard. 

“I just …”  
“What was your question?”

Steve licked his lips, deliberately not looking at you. 

“When it happened, she … well, it was …”

Clint narrowed his eyes, and Steve closed his as he spoke. 

“It happened … after we had sex.”

You felt your cheeks grow hot, but Clint didn’t make any faces or laugh or anything to make you uncomfortable. A soft smile came to his lips and he nodded. 

“If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, then no, her pains weren’t caused by sex. There’s no rhyme or reason to the Braxton-Hicks. Some women have them, some don’t. Some have them their whole pregnancy, some just have them at the end.”

Clint looked back to you.

“You’re healthy. Your weight is fine, bloodwork looks great. We’ll schedule your glucose test to make sure you’re not diabetic, but we don’t have to worry about that right this second. There’s nothing to indicate that you are. Everything seems fine with the baby. There is no reason you shouldn’t carry on with a normal sex life.”

You nodded, cheeks burning. Clint looked to Steve, keeping that easy smile on his face. 

“You’re not hurting Y/N, and you won’t hurt the baby. The baby doesn’t even know what’s going on, and it’s actually healthy for Y/N. You may have to make some … positional changes as time goes on, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t keep … business as usual.”

Steve nodded, and you couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped your lips. You clapped a hand over your mouth and Steve looked to you, eyes wide. 

“Sorry! I can’t … Sorry.”

Clint gave a laugh, then rolled closer to you. 

“Now to clear the awkwardness, huh?”  
 _“Please.”_

Clint smiled as he motioned for you to lay back, to get started on the routine checkup. 

 

* * *

 

 

For the next two weeks, you fought to keep your mind from falling down an abyss. Steve stayed away from you for most of the day, coming to your apartment at night, basically only to sleep. The two of you hadn’t had sex, despite having the go-ahead from your doctor, and you couldn’t help but blame yourself. 

The last boyfriend you’d had—well, the next-to-last, before Scott—had been a man your friends had tried to tell you to stay away from. They’d known he was bad news, but you were blinded by … now you saw it as stupidity, but back then, he knew just the right words to say, the things to do, the gifts to buy. Justin Hammer had swept you off your feet, and in a matter of weeks, he shattered your world by cheating on you with multiple women. 

You were still living with your sister at the time, and Pepper and Christine had helped you put the pieces back together as best they could. Tony had actually had Justin run out of town, and Steve had gotten very close to being arrested after he beat the shit out of the man, but thanks to some quick thinking and connections Bucky had, he’d gotten away with a warning. But that was something you were clueless to, even to this day. 

Steve wasn’t Justin. You knew that. Steve was a good man, a man who loved you and showed you that. Justin was a playboy, only worried about himself. 

Even so, you couldn’t help but notice parallels now, things happening with Steve that you’d been blind to when they’d happened with Justin. The lack of communication. The lack of intimacy. The way Steve seemed so exhausted all the time, for reasons you didn’t know and he wouldn’t tell you.

And now tonight, well past midnight, Steve hadn’t come home. 

You didn’t want to call any of your friends and alarm them, but at the same time, you didn’t want Steve to be bleeding out in a ditch somewhere. Your pregnant, overactive brain was thinking the worst, and you’d spent well over an hour pacing the length of the darkened apartment, keeping at least one hand pressed to your belly at all times. It was as if the baby knew something was wrong because she wasn’t moving much, just shifts and turns, quiet little movements as if to let you know you weren’t alone. 

It was eighteen minutes past three A.M. when the door opened, quiet footsteps and low murmurs filling the silence. You turned the lights on when the lock clicked, and Bucky and Steve nearly jumped out of their skin. 

“Jesus Christ, Y/N! You scared the shit out of me.”  
“Babe, what are you doing up?”

You shook your head, eyes wide. 

“It is three in the morning. Where the fuck have you been?”

They stammered, making noise but not answering your question. You shook your head, tears filling your eyes. 

“I thought you were dead somewhere!”

Steve sighed, stepping forward, stopping when you held a hand up. 

“What’s going on with you?”

Bucky slowly backed up until he was in the corner of the kitchen. Steve shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. 

“What do you mean?”  
“You don’t talk to me, you don’t let me know that you’re not coming home until three in the morning. I have been walking around here wondering how I’m going to raise our daughter alone and you …”

You shook your head again. 

“For two weeks now, we’ve barely said two words to each other, but it doesn’t even seem like you’ve noticed.”  
“I’ve noticed. I just …”

Steve sighed, shoulders drooping as he rolled his eyes. 

“Y/N, relax.”

You closed your eyes, a shock rolling down your spine at his words, his body language. How many times had Justin said those exact words? How many times had your stupid ass listened to him? You moved a hand to cover your mouth, blinking widely. 

“Y/N? Hey, you okay?”

You looked to Bucky and shook your head. You swallowed on a dry throat, one hand protectively cradling your belly. 

“I can’t do this again. I’m not going to do this again.”  
“‘Again?’ Do what again?”

You shook your head, walking towards the kitchen, where the men were, shaky hands fumbling with unlocking the door and throwing it open. Steve’s voice was almost frantic when he spoke. 

“What are you doing?”

You didn’t answer him, just made your way across the hall. 

“Y/N, where are you going? Come here.”

You couldn’t remember where your key to Pepper’s apartment was, so you knocked on the door. Steve rushed up behind you, shaking his head and taking hold of your hand. 

“Y/N, you’re going to wake them up. Come on and talk to me.”  
“ _Now_ you want to talk?!”

Tears filled your eyes, dripping down your cheeks as you turned to him. Steve moved his hands to your shoulders, sliding them down and gently holding your elbows. 

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for two weeks. No— longer than that. I knew something was up at the doctor’s appointment, but you said everything was fine. And I believed you. God, how could I be this stupid again?”  
“Why do you keep saying that? What do you mean ‘again?’”

You shook your head, giving a gasping breath as you wrenched your arms free from Steve’s hold. Bucky stepped up behind you, laying a hand against your lower back. 

“Come on, let’s take this inside.”  
“No, just—let go of me.”

Steve shook his head, laying his hands on your shoulders again. 

“Not until you talk to me.”

You shook your head, tears dripping down your cheeks. 

“I am so sick of trying to do shit by your timetable. I’ve been trying to talk to you for a month, but now, now when the shit’s hitting the fan, now you want to talk.”

You shook your head, wrenching yourself away from him. 

“I’m done.”

You didn’t even notice Pepper and Tony’s door opening, the two of them in their robes, worry in their sleepy eyes. Steve’s blue eyes were wide, reaching for you, but you stepped out of his reach. 

“I thought you were different.”  
“Y/N.”  
“I thought you loved me.”  
“I do.”

You shook your head again, turning your back to him and walking for the stairs. Steve called after you, staring in shock when you slammed the door behind you. Bucky ran a hand over his unshaven chin, looking to Pepper and Tony.

“Well,  _that_ was unexpected.”  
“What the hell was that?”  
“Is she okay?”

Steve stared in the direction you’d gone, hearing Bucky and Tony and Pepper’s voices, but the words not registering. He shook his head, one shaky hand moving to cover his mouth. 

“I fucked up.”  
“You think?”

Tony turned and hurried into his apartment and Pepper sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“I told you this was a bad idea.”

Bucky tilted his head from side to side. 

“I don’t think it was a bad idea.”  
“Where were you during that little dust-up?”  
“The  _idea_ was a good one. The follow-through, I’ll admit, could have been handled better.”

Pepper rolled her eyes, leaving the door open as she walked into the apartment. Bucky followed behind her, stopping at the door and looking to Steve.

“Hey.”

Steve looked his way and Bucky smiled. 

“She’ll be okay. Come on.”

Steve shook his head. 

“I need to go after her. Explain.”  
“Let her cool down.”

Steve met Pepper’s eyes and she smiled. 

“Tony called down. Peter’s going to talk to her, keep her from leaving the building.”

Steve looked towards the stairs again, the slam of the doors behind you, that look on your face echoing through his mind. He nodded, dragging his feet as he walked into Pepper and Tony’s apartment. 

 

* * *

 

 

You were crying, not even realizing how hard as you made your way down the stairs and into the lobby of your building. You came to a hard stop when you saw the rain pouring down, and when you glanced through the door, a memory popped into your mind. 

_“The job offer still stands.”_  
“I can’t move to Paris.”  
“It’ll always be there, if you ever need it.”

You held a hand to your belly and hung your head, a quiet sob leaving your lips. 

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. No need to cry. Hey, Miss Potts. It’s me. Your old pal Peter Quill. Your buddy PQ, right?”

You sniffled, nodding and smiling in spite of how you were feeling. 

“Hey, Peter.”  
“Hey. Let’s sit down, huh?”

You nodded again, letting him lead you to one of the oddly shaped orange couches in the lobby. You sniffled, giving a shaky exhale, nodding your thanks when Peter passed you a handful of tissues. The two of you sat in silence for a while, Peter humming old eighties songs under his breath until he looked over at you. 

“Want to talk about it?”

You sighed. 

“Not really.”  
“Might make you feel better.”

You moved a hand to rub at your belly, taking comfort in the kick you received in return. You met Peter’s eyes and sighed again. 

“I thought he was different.”  
“Mr. Rogers?”

You raised an eyebrow and Peter closed his eyes, nodding before opening his eyes again. 

“Steve. Steve Rogers. Not Mister Rogers, he was … that’s not important.”

You smiled and Peter shrugged. 

“Why did you think that?”  
“That he was different?”

Peter nodded. 

“I don’t know. I’ve known him for so long, I just … thought I knew him, you know? I thought he was a good man who meant what he said.”  
“Has he ever given you any reason not to believe that?”

You thought for a moment, then shook your head. Peter had a gentle smile on his face when he spoke again. 

“So why would he start now?”

You looked into Peter’s green eyes, tears welling up in your own. Peter reached over and took hold of your hand, patting it gently. 

“I may not know much, but I can see how much that man loves you. I don’t know the details, but maybe he just made a mistake. Maybe you should just talk to him and get it all out in the open.”

You nodded, looking towards the lobby doors again as a crack of thunder sounded. You sighed, then stood up with Peter’s help, and he motioned for the stairs. You shook your head, then let Peter lead you to the elevators. 


	14. The One With Some Revelations

You let out a sigh as the elevator door opened, and you held a hand against your belly as you stepped through the doors. You stopped when you saw Steve, who’d been sitting on the floor on the little ledge, the step down that led to yours and Bucky’s and Pepper and Tony’s apartments. He’d raised his head when the elevator had dinged, and he jumped to his feet when he saw you. 

He started to open his mouth and you shook your head, lifting a shaky hand. He closed his lips and you absentmindedly rubbed your belly before you met his eyes. 

“I’ve never really recovered from what Justin did to me. I thought I had, but this … brought it all back. The way you stopped talking to me, the secrecy, the way you haven’t touched me in weeks.”

You shook your head as you looked down. 

“I can’t do this again, Steve. If you … if you don’t want me, just say it. Tell me so I can try to move on. It’s not just me here anymore. I have to think about my daughter and put her first and I can’t—“

You let the sentence trail off for two reasons. One, because you’d started crying again and you couldn’t breathe. And two, because Steve stepped forward and took hold of your arms, tears in his eyes, one dripping down his cheek. 

“I never wanted to make you feel like that. I never … that was never my intention.”

You closed your eyes, pulling your arms from Steve’s hold, missing the devastation that crossed his face the few seconds before you took his hands. He closed his eyes, leaning closer to you until your foreheads were touching. He shook his head, speaking softly. 

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I didn’t mean to shut you out. I just … I had good intentions, but they blew up in my face.”

You let go of his hands, moving yours up his arms, smiling the slightest bit when he stepped closer to you, his hands moving to your hips.

“Y/N, I love you with every single cell in my body. I’ve never loved anyone this much, or this deep. The look on your face tonight … I’ll never get over that.”  
“Steve.”  
“No, I … god. I’m so sorry. You’ll never know how sorry I am that I ever made you feel you were anything less than every bit of my heart.”

You blinked your eyes open, pulling back just enough to see the anguish on his face. 

“Steve.”  
 _“Please.”_

You moved your hands to his face, watching the way his eyes squeezed shut, like your touch was painful. You started to pull away, but his hands moved to cover yours, holding them in place, tears sparkling in his eyes when he opened them and stared into yours. 

“I know what Justin did to you, and I promise you, he was the farthest thing from my mind. I didn’t set out to act like him, and if I’d noticed I was doing it, I’d have stopped.”

You nodded. 

“I know. It’s o—“  
“Don’t tell me ‘it’s okay,’ because it’s not. It’s so fucking  _not_ okay.”

You nodded, moving your hands from his face, gently rubbing his heaving shoulders. 

“Breathe, Steve.”  
“I can’t.”  
“Yes, you can.”

He shook his head and you moved your hands back to his face, your heart breaking when he closed his eyes and let out a choked sob. You surged forward, taking him in your arms, closing your eyes and soaking in the warmth when he wrapped his arms around you, holding you tightly. 

“Steve. Oh, god.”  
“I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”  
“I know. I know, honey. Just breathe. Please, just breathe.”

He put his face in your hair, tears soaking his cheeks and air barely filling his lungs. You moved your hands to his head, fingers carding through his hair as you held him. You moved back and lifted his face, holding his cheeks as you leaned in and pressed your mouth to his. He closed his eyes, lips moving with yours, hands moving up and down your back as he tried to pull you closer. 

You broke the kiss and met his eyes, shaking your head as you pushed your fingers through his hair. 

“Baby. You’re so exhausted.”

He nodded, and you moved to kiss his temple. 

“Let’s get some sleep, and we can talk tomorrow.”  
“No, we … we need to talk now.”

You shook your head, cradling his face in your hands again. He closed his eyes, leaning into your touch, slowly blinking his eyes open. 

“It’ll still be there a few hours from now. Let’s get some rest and talk whenever we wake up.”  
“Y/N—“  
“This is not up for discussion.”

A small smile played on his lips and you took hold of his hand, leading him into your apartment. Bucky jumped to his feet when the two of you walked in, starting to speak, but closing his mouth when he saw Steve. You nodded to Bucky, pointing towards your bedroom, motioning for Steve to head that way while you ducked into the bathroom. You blinked when you came back and found Steve standing right there where you’d left him. 

You swallowed and laid a hand on Steve’s shoulder, and Bucky just watched as you led Steve into your bedroom, closing the door behind you. You got Steve to sit on the bed, and he closed his eyes as you slowly cleaned his face with the damp rag you’d gotten from the bathroom. You took your time, gently wiping his long eyelashes, smoothing the lines in his forehead, leaning in and lightly pressing your lips to his. 

Steve’s hands moved to your hips, resting there before moving to cradle your growing belly. He blinked his eyes open when the baby moved, and you smiled when his sapphire eyes met yours. Your voice was soft, and you moved a hand through his hair as you spoke. 

“I think she knows something’s up. She knows her daddy needs her.”

Steve closed his eyes, moving one hand to finger the ends of your hair, voice hoarse. 

“He really needs her mom.”

You blinked, swallowing hard, leaning to kiss him again. 

“I’m right here.”

Steve moved his hands to cradle your face, lying back on the bed. You moved with him, straddling his chest, moaning softly. 

“Steve, you need to rest.”  
“I’m not that tired.”

You smiled, closing your eyes as his lips moved across your neck, and you shook your head. You sat back, pushing a hand through your hair, looking down at him. 

“I’m worried about you, and I don’t want to just … fuck away our problems.”

Steve nodded, letting his arms fall beside his head. He stared up at the ceiling and you climbed off him, standing beside the bed. Steve didn’t move, until you pulled your shirt over your head and dropped it to the floor. He sat up, one eyebrow lifted as you shimmied off the sleep shorts you’d changed into as soon as you’d gotten home from work. You motioned with your head and he blinked, then stood up, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it on top of yours. His shorts followed, until he was standing beside you in his boxers. He moved behind you and unfastened your bra, and you moaned as you dropped it to the floor, seconds before his warm hands cupped your breasts, gently massaging them as he kissed your neck. 

“Let’s go to bed.”

Steve nodded, holding his lips against your neck for a long moment before he pulled away. The two of you climbed into bed facing each other this time, and you snuggled as close to Steve as your belly would allow. You had your head on his shoulder when he rested his head atop yours, arms tightly around you, sleep finally overtaking you both. 

 

* * *

 

 

“So how bad was it?”

Bucky nodded as he looked to Christine. 

“Bad.”  
“Like … on a scale of one to ten.”  
“One is good?”

She nodded and Bucky pursed his lips before he answered. 

“‘Bout a twenty-seven.”

Christine winced and Bucky tapped his thumb on the table. He looked to Pepper and Tony, both of whom were quietly sipping their coffees. Bucky shook his head, shifting in his chair. 

“She came back just before the sun came up. I couldn’t sleep, so I just waited. But …”

He shook his head and Christine tilted hers. 

“What?”

Bucky met her eyes, shaking his head again. 

“I don’t know. When they came in, Steve was … he just stood there. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t do anything. He didn’t move until Y/N came back and led him into her room.”

Tony took another sip of coffee, then shook his head. Christine sucked in a breath, smacking her hand on the table. 

“Do you remember when Peggy first left? How … devastated Steve was?”

Everyone nodded, and Christine looked to Bucky. 

“You were scared he was going catatonic or something, remember?”  
“Yeah, because I went to see him and he just sat there and didn’t say a word. He didn’t move. If I hadn’t seen his shoulders moving, I wouldn’t have thought he was even breathing.”

Christine nodded. 

“And what happened to change that?”

Bucky’s eyebrows furrowed and Christine smiled. 

“We all went to see him, and he didn’t even act like he noticed us. Not until Y/N showed up.”

Bucky’s eyes slowly widened as he remembered what Christine was talking about. 

_“He hasn’t said a word. I’m this close to calling 9-1-1 for one of those psych holds.”_

_You rolled your eyes, pushing past Bucky and sucking in a breath when you took in the sight around you. The apartment was a wreck, and Steve was lying on the couch on his back, staring up at the ceiling. You licked your lips, pushing your purse into Bucky’s hands. You walked to the back of the couch, laying your hands on it and leaning over until you were in Steve’s line of sight. He blinked, ocean blue eyes locking onto yours. You smiled._

_“Hey, buddy.”_

_Steve blinked, and you reached a hand down to gently touch his shoulder. He moved his head to look at your hand, then back to your face. You kept that gentle smile on your face as he slowly raised a hand. You laid your hand in his, giving his hand a squeeze before he sat up._

_He hadn’t shaved in a few days, probably hadn’t showered either. You moved to sit beside him, smiling when you realized he hadn’t yet let go of your hand. He met your eyes and you spoke softly._

_“Are you okay?”_

_Steve shook his head and you nodded._

_“You can’t just lay down and die, Steve.”_   
_“I want to.”_

_You nodded again, moving to brush your fingers through his greasy hair._

_“I know. But I need you, Stevie.”_

_He met your eyes and you smiled, pitching your voice lower._

_“Do you remember when Scott and I broke up?”_

_Steve nodded._

_“Do you remember who got me off the couch?”_

_He shook his head and you leaned over, bumping his shoulder with your own._

_“You, buddy.”_

_His eyes widened just a bit and you smiled._

_“Everyone kept telling me that it was okay, and it would be okay, but … I don’t know. I guess I didn’t really believe it until you said it. I don’t know why, either. Guess I just needed to hear it from my favorite guy.”_

_Steve smiled at that, then met your eyes._

_“She just left.”_   
_“I know she did.”_   
_“I thought she loved me.”_

_You nodded, moving a hand to pat his face._

_“I’m so sorry, honey.”_

_Tears filled Steve’s eyes and he leaned forward, putting his forehead against your shoulder. You moved a hand to hold him close, leaning your head against his._

_“It’s okay, Steve. I’m here.”_

_His hand moved to squeeze your leg, and you moved your hand on top of his, closing your eyes when he laced his fingers through yours and squeezed your hand._

_“Don’t leave me.”_

_Tears sparked in your eyes and you nodded, licking your lips._

_“I’m right here, honey. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”_

_Steve gave a shaky breath, and you swallowed, blinking your eyes open and seeing Bucky in the kitchen, chewing on his thumbnail, eyes locked on you. You tilted your head against Steve’s, speaking softly._

_“Hey, buddy?”_

_He leaned back, sniffling and pushing his wrist under his nose. You gave him a soft smile._

_“How about you go take a shower, and Bucky and I will fix up some dinner?”_

_He slowly nodded his head, and you stood up, offering him your hands. He took them and stood up, and you kept hold of one of his hands as you led him towards the bathroom. He stood there as you started up the shower, laying a towel on the counter. You smiled at him and nodded._

_“Take your time. You’ll feel better, more like yourself with a shower and a shave.”_

_He nodded and you laid a hand on his face, pulling him down just enough for you to kiss his cheek before you walked away, closing the door behind you._

_An hour later, when Steve walked out of his bedroom in a clean shirt and sweatpants, you and Bucky smiled. You tilted your head to the side and Steve moved a hand to his cheeks, running his fingers over the stubble there._

_“I think I’m going to grow it out.”_

_You smiled. He’d been meticulous about shaving every day, since Peggy had made it clear she didn’t care for beards._

_“I like it. Gives you an edge.”_   
_“A soft edge. Look at those eyes.”_

_You giggled and bumped Bucky with your shoulder on the way to Steve. You took his hand, leading him further into the kitchen._

_“Are you hungry? Follow-up question, do you want me to cook something or order out?”_

Bucky met Christine’s eyes and shook his head. 

“I should have seen it then. Why didn’t I see it then?”

She shrugged. 

“I think they’ve just been destined to be together. All these little situations they’ve been through are adding up now.”  
“And they’ll get through this.”

Bucky looked to Pepper and she smiled as she patted his hand. He nodded, then smiled. 

“Want to make a bet?”  
“About what?”

Pepper raised an eyebrow as Bucky grinned. 

“How long do you think it’s going to take for him to become your brother-in-law?”

 

* * *

 

 

The sun was just coming up when you and Steve finally went to bed, and it was starting to set when you finally woke up. You didn’t have the heart to wake Steve when you got up, so you let him sleep while you flipped through baby books. Bucky steered clear of the apartment, and you could just imagine the conversations that were surely happening between your friends. 

You looked up when the door to your bedroom opened, smiling when you saw Steve standing there, rubbing one eye and frowning. You couldn’t stop the quiet laugh and he walked to the couch, climbing onto it beside you and pulling you into his lap. 

“You weren’t there when I woke up.”

You couldn’t suppress the shiver that rolled through your body at the sound of his rough, sleep-heavy voice. You leaned your head against his, and Steve closed his eyes, just soaking in the feel of you close to him. You licked your lips, speaking softly. 

“Steve, what’s going on with you?”

He sighed, moving to kiss your cheek before he let you go. You moved to sit beside him, one hand resting against your belly. He moved to the edge of the couch, rubbing his hands together as he stared down at them. 

“I never meant to hurt you.”

Your heart sank, and you felt sick all of a sudden. You swallowed, slowly nodding your head. 

“Who is she?”

Steve turned his head to look at you, eyebrows furrowing. After a moment his eyes widened and he hit his knees, twisting in front of you and taking your hands. 

“No. Baby, no. I didn’t— there’s no one else.”

You shook your head and he closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. 

“This isn’t working. It’s not coming out right.”  
“What’s not?”

Steve sighed, then got to his feet. He walked into your bedroom, coming back a few moments later in the shorts he had on earlier, pulling on a white t-shirt. He held out a hand for you and you raised an eyebrow. He gave a soft laugh, offering you both hands, and you groaned as he helped you stand. You held still for a moment, until you’d found your center of gravity, then nodded. 

Steve took hold of your arm, looping it through his and walking you to the door. He opened it and let you walk through, then followed. You followed him, holding the hand he offered you, to the apartment next door to Bucky’s. 

“Um, Steve? Why are we going to see Mr. and Mrs. Lee?”  
“We’re not. They moved to Florida.”  
“What?!”

He nodded, sliding a key into the lock and turning it. You held a hand to your belly and shook your head. 

“They’re gone?”  
“Left a few weeks ago. Said they had a daughter and grandchildren they needed to be closer to.”

You smiled, looking down at your belly. 

“That’s so sweet.”

He nodded, opening the door and holding out a hand for you. 

“Come in.”  
“I feel weird, barging in like this.”  
“Just come on.”

You giggled, taking his hand and stepping over the threshold. Steve flipped on a light switch and you looked over the empty room. 

“Wow. It looks so different without all their … stuff.”

You walked around in a tiny circle, looking over to Steve and smiling. 

“You know they used to have Bucky and I over for dinner sometimes? And we were over here all the time when Mr. Stan had that heart attack.”

Steve nodded, and you narrowed your eyes as you looked around the room. 

“Has it always been hardwood?”

Steve shook his head. 

“Uh, no. There was carpet everywhere, but we ripped it up and put down the hardwood floors.”  
“They’re gorgeous.”

He nodded, a soft smile on his face. You met his eyes, saw his smile widen, and you shook your head. 

“What’s going on?”

He gave a quiet laugh, laying his keys on the counter, then putting his hands in his pockets. 

“What do you think is going on?”

You shook your head. 

“I don’t know. I’m … very confused.”

Steve smiled, stopping a few feet from you. 

“Why do you think I’ve got a key?”

You shook your head, moving a hand to rest it against your belly. Steve smiled. 

“When Bucky and I bumped into the Lees in the elevator and they told us they were moving, I … I got an idea.”

You felt your breathing speed up, and you looked around the apartment before you met Steve’s eyes. He smiled and licking his lips before he spoke again. 

“I should have talked to you about it, but I … I don’t know. I thought maybe I could surprise you, and then it kind of got out of hand. No, it got really out of hand.”

He shook his head, stepping closer to you. You moved the hand not rubbing your belly and held it out, and he took it, lifting it to his lips and kissing your knuckles before holding your hand. 

“I’m so sorry you ever thought anything was going on. I love you, and I’d never do anything to sabotage that.”

You smiled and he stepped closer, laying his hand against your stomach. When the baby nudged his hand, he smiled and looked up to meet your eyes. 

“Have you put it all together yet?”

You shook your head. 

“This pregnancy is screwing with my brain.”

He laughed, dropping your hand and stepping back. 

“The Lees are gone, which means this apartment is vacant. I talked to the owner of the building, then the owner of this floor.”

Your eyes widened as you finally started to catch on. 

“Steve.”

He held out his arms, turning in a slow circle. 

“I didn’t think it was fair for us to ask Bucky or Christine or both of them to let us bring the baby into their lives. I mean, even if they don’t have to take care of it, they’d still be having to deal with late night feedings and crying at all hours and … that’s not fair.”

Tears were sparkling in your eyes as you moved both hands to your belly. Steve licked his lips. 

“Here, we’re close to your sister, close to Buck. And it’s a space for you and I to start off together.”  
 _“Steve.”_

He moved closer to you, taking your hands. 

“We can put both our names on the lease if you want. I just thought we needed a place of our own to …”  
“Start our family.”

He nodded, a smile on his face. You shook your head as you stared up at him. 

“You want to move in with me?”

He nodded. 

“All in, remember?”

You nodded, and he let go of one of your hands, moving his to your face to thumb away a tear. 

“What do you say, baby? You want to move in with me?”

You nodded, unable to speak. Steve moved to cradle your face in his hands, smiling at you. 

“Don’t cry.”  
“I can’t help it.”

He laughed softly, dipping his head to kiss your lips. You gripped his shoulders, clutching them tightly as you stared up into his eyes. He gave you that gentle smile and you shook your head, the tears coming more forcefully. 

“I love you. I just … I just love you.”  
“I love you, Y/N. You and our daughter mean everything to me.”

You couldn’t hold back the sob, clutching Steve’s shoulders even tighter. He took you into his arms and you cried into his shoulder, not understanding why you were crying so hard, but he didn’t say a word. He just held you tightly until the worst was over, until you leaned back enough to kiss his lips. 

Steve held you as close as your belly would allow, lips moving languidly against yours. You moved your hands to roll your fingers over the thick muscles of his back and he leaned back, hooded eyes finding yours. 

“Are you okay, baby?”  
“I need you.”  
“You’ve got me.”

You stared into the pools of blue staring back at you and Steve blinked, shaking his head as he leaned closer to you, lips pressing against yours slowly, hands drifting down your sides, until he was gripping your hips. You slid your hands under his shirt and he broke the kiss, shaking his head and laughing softly. 

“Baby. I don’t really think we can do this on the floor.”  
“Is that a fat joke, Rogers?”

Steve laughed, shaking his head. 

“Never, sweetheart. It’s just … logistics.”  
“No, it’s this belly.”  
“Hey, that belly is currently housing my daughter, so … you know.”

He moved his hands under your shirt to cradle your stomach and you let out a shaky breath. You closed your eyes as his big, warm hands slowly skated over your swollen skin. 

“I happen to like the belly.”  
“R-really?”  
“Oh, yeah.”

He leaned in and kissed your neck as he kept holding your stomach, and you gave a soft moan when one of his hands moved up to your breasts. 

“Are you wearing a bra?”  
“Nope. Didn’t feel like the hassle.”

Steve groaned, moving both hands up, molding your swollen breasts in his hands. You shook your head, moving one hand to the back of his head, holding him in place where he was currently sucking a mark into your neck. 

“God, Steve.”

You could feel him smile against your neck and you moved your hand, stepping back while he lifted his head, until you could kiss his lips again. He moved his hands to your sides and you whimpered, taking hold of his shirt and pulling him closer. 

“Steve.”

His blue eyes looked to yours, and he nodded, leaning in to kiss your lips, moving one of his hands down between your legs. You whimpered as a smile spread over his face and you looped your arms around his neck, putting your face in his shoulder as his fingers gently brushed your lips. 

“You’re wet.”

His voice was barely a whisper and you nodded, moving to rest your forehead against his chin. You lifted your head to look at him, eyes closing when his thumb pressed against your clit. 

“Shit, Steve.”

He laughed softly, kissing your cheek. You gripped his shoulder tightly, shaking your head as he slowly pushed one long finger inside you. You moaned, and he nearly swallowed his tongue when he felt you tighten around him. 

“Damn, baby, you’re close.”  
“I … I can’t …”  
“Just let go, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

You moved a hand to his neck, hanging on as colors burst behind the eyes you had squeezed shut. You couldn’t hear yourself gasping and calling his name, but Steve held you steady, working you through the orgasm. 

You were clinging to him, white spots dancing in front of your eyes when you blinked them open, the roar of your blood in your ears slowly quieting. Steve’s hand was skating up and down your spine and you gave a shaky breath. 

“You back with me?”

You put your face in his shirt and Steve gave a laugh as he wrapped you in his arms. He kissed the top of your head, sighing as he set his cheek there. 

“The first of many dirty sexy times in our new apartment.”  
“Ugh, you’ve ruined it.”

He laughed, kissing the top of your head again before he spoke. 

“I love you.”

You smiled, closing your eyes and leaning into him.  

“I love you, Steve. Is this really our apartment?”  
“Nah, we just did something unspeakable in a random stranger’s place.”

He laughed when you smacked his shoulder, and he maneuvered around until he could kiss your lips. 

“This is really our apartment.”  
“Really?”  
“I swear. We’ve got an appointment to sign the lease next week.”  
“So … Wait. This is what’s been exhausting you lately?”

Steve nodded. 

“There was honest-to-God shag carpet in the whole damn place. It took for-fucking-ever to rip all that shit up, and then there was some kind of issue that we had to get a contractor in to check out. Once they gave the go-ahead, we started putting the floor down.”  
“‘We?’”

Steve nodded again, lifting the hem of your shirt where he could touch the skin above your hips, which was stretching to give your baby room to grow. 

“Me and Buck and Tony. Pepper and Christine even pitched in. And by ‘pitched in,’ I of course mean they brought us snacks and water.”

You giggled, then shook your head. 

“So … all of our friends were in on this and nobody told me?”

Steve nodded, his smile going soft when tears filled your eyes. 

“I wanted to surprise you. Pepper tried to tell me it was a bad idea, but I was determined. And then …”

He sighed and shook his head and you sniffled, then moved your hands to his cheeks. 

“The thought was … I can’t even tell you how touched I am. Although the follow-through could have used a little work.”

Steve laughed, nodding in agreement. You shook your head and smiled at him. 

“I just … I can’t believe you thought to get this apartment for us.”  
“When are you going to realize that I’d do anything for you?”

Your eyes widened as you looked up at him, and he tilted his head, taking hold of your hands. 

“All I could think when I heard that the Lees were moving was that this could be ours. I knew I’d have to talk you into it and you’d probably think I was crazy because this has all moved so fast, but …”

He shook his head. 

“All I can see here is you. This is where we’ll bring our baby home for the first time. This is where our family begins and that … Y/N, that doesn’t scare me. I don’t feel sick or nervous about it. When I think of what might happen in the future … as long as you’re beside me, I know I’ll be okay.”

You couldn’t speak, because you were crying too hard. You let out a sob and Steve wrapped you in his arms, holding you as close as the two of you could get. 

“I never, ever want to make you feel like I did last night. Don’t ever let me do that again.”  
“Steve.”  
“I love you. Do you hear me? If there’s one thing in this world you can count on, it’s that. I’m here, I love you, and I’m not going to let you go.”

You dug your fingers into his back, putting your face in his shoulder as you cried. The two of you sank to the floor as you sobbed these great, heaving sobs that you didn’t know where they came from, but it felt good to let them out. You cried until you couldn’t anymore, until you knew your face was swollen and splotchy, and Steve never once even hinted that he wanted to let you go. 

When you could breathe without hiccuping and the tears had slowed to an almost stop, you looked up at Steve. He smiled, lifting the hem of his shirt and wiping your face. You gave a soft laugh, closing your eyes as he gently cleaned your wet face. 

“You okay?”

You nodded. 

“Sorry, I … I don’t know where that came from.”  
“Don’t apologize. That’s what I’m here for.”

You took hold of his hands and he smiled at you. You nodded, looking down at your joined hands. 

“I’m not scared, either. I know it’s fast and it’s unconventional, but it feels right.”

Steve nodded. 

“It does.”  
“I love you.”

Steve smiled, giving your hands a squeeze. You sat up a little straighter, a smile coming over your lips. You gave a soft laugh and Steve shook his head. 

“What?”

You shook your head, the smile widening. 

“I think she’s got the hiccups.”  
“Really?”

You nodded, letting go of Steve’s hand and moving it to your belly. You waited a moment and moved his hand just a bit, looking to him when you felt the baby jump. A smile spread over his face and he looked up to you. When it happened again, Steve gave a laugh. 

“She’s got the hiccups.”

You moved a hand to brush through his hair and he closed his eyes, moving both hands to your belly. 

“Hey, Steve?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Can we … ?”

Steve looked up to you, meeting your eyes, and he nodded. He stood up, offering you both of his hands, helping you to your feet. You held a hand under your belly and Steve took hold of your face, lifting it where he could kiss you. 

“I love you, Y/N.”

You smiled. 

“I love you. And I have no idea how I’m going to top this.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Christmas is like a month away and you got me a whole-ass apartment.”

Steve laughed. 

“Yeah, good luck one-upping me there.”

You laughed, grabbing his face and pulling it down to where you could kiss him again.

 

* * *

 

 

“Well, well. What do we have here?”

You turned your face into Steve’s side, a warmth spreading over your cheeks as the two of you walked into yours and Bucky’s apartment. Bucky was sitting in his recliner with a shit-eating grin on his face, his fingers laced together and resting on his flat stomach. 

_Bastard_. Everyone around you had flat stomachs these days. 

Steve sighed and lifted a hand to scratch at his messed-up hair. He shook his head, looping an arm around your shoulders. 

“I’ll admit, not going to miss that.”  
“What?”  
“You, interrupting everything.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, spinning the chair away from you, then quickly spinning back. 

“Wait. You showed her?”

Steve nodded. 

“Did she—she must have said yes. Tell me she said yes.”

You lifted your head, smiling up at Steve. 

“She did.”

Bucky whooped, jumping from the chair and walking over to you and Steve, wrapping you both in a hug. He kissed your cheek, then shook his head. 

“I don’t even care that you’re all wide-eyed and clearly on the way to do unmentionable things.”  
 _“Oh, shut up, Bucky!”_

He laughed when you shoved him out of the way, shaking his head when you took Steve’s hand and pulled him into the bedroom. Bucky sighed, tilting his head, eyes widening when he heard Steve’s throaty groan. 

“Nope. Oh, fuck no.”

He ran to the door, throwing it open and stepping into the hall. He glanced to the apartment next door and shook his head. 

“Not going to miss that, not one bit.”

He shivered, shaking his head and walking across the hall.


	15. The One With the Holiday Party

“What about Gemma?”

Steve pursed his lips. 

“Gemma Rogers?”  
“I think Gemma is a cute name.”

He nodded, walking over to where you were sitting on the large new couch Pepper and Tony had bought you as a housewarming gift. Steve set his beer on the coffee table, something you lifted your eyes from the baby name book to see. You narrowed your eyes, but didn’t say a word, and after snapping his fingers, Steve lifted the bottle again, placing a coaster down and setting the bottle on the coaster. He looked to you and you smiled, and he rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. 

He sat down beside you and sighed, tapping your legs until you moved your swollen feet into his lap. You gave a happy sigh as he started massaging and you flipped through the book some more. 

“Hailey.”  
“Mmm, I’m not a huge fan of Hailey.”  
“Really?”

Steve nodded, and you moaned as he hit a particularly sore spot on your foot. 

“Isabella.”  
“Isn’t everyone named Isabella these days?”  
“You don’t think Izzie Rogers would be so cute?”  
“Buck’s sister Becca’s got a Bella.”  
“Oh, that’s right.”

Steve nodded, and you flipped a few more pages. You put the book on your chest and looked to him. 

“What about Morgan? Morgan Rogers is cute.”

Steve furrowed his brows, meeting your eyes. 

“Don’t you have a weird uncle named Morgan?”

You used the book to hit his shoulder and Steve smiled. You smiled back and nodded. 

“We call him ‘eccentric,’ and yes. He’s mine and Pepper’s favorite. Oh, come to think of it, she’ll probably want Morgan. She and Uncle Morgan have always been so close.”  
“Morgan Stark versus Morgan Rogers.”

You wrinkled your nose and nodded. 

“Morgan Stark sounds better.”

Steve nodded, moving to massage your ankle. You sighed, leaning back against one of the plush cushions. 

“Penelope.”  
“Bless you.”

You giggled, shifting a bit as Steve switched feet. 

“Penny’s a cute nickname.”  
“Kind of outdated, isn’t it?”  
“Maybe, but old lady names are coming back.”  
“Immediate veto on Gertrude.”

You laughed. 

“You don’t want a little Trudy?”  
“Uh, no. Don’t do that to my baby girl please.”

You laid your head back on the cushion, a big smile on your face. You looked over at Steve, studying his profile as he massaged your ankle. 

“What about Sarah?”

His hands faltered, but he didn’t look your way. You licked your lips, speaking softly again. 

“I just thought … maybe you’d like to name her after your mom.”

Steve slowly nodded, picking up your foot again. He was quiet for a moment, then spoke softly. 

“Thank you, and I have thought about it. But I … I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s …”

He blew out a breath and you tugged your foot from his grasp. You rocked back and forth as you tried to sit up, and Steve bit his tongue to keep from laughing as he moved to help you. When you were sitting beside Steve, close enough to lean in and kiss him, you held a hand to your belly, shaking your head. 

“It’s okay, honey.”

Steve shook his head, rubbing his hands together. You leaned over, rubbing his back with one hand, smiling when he reached a hand over to rest against your belly. When the baby moved, he let out a sigh. 

“I know she’s been gone a long time, but … whenever I hear Sarah Rogers, I just get this … ache in my heart. And I’ve tried. I’ve tried to think of it as our baby’s name and I just … I can’t.”

You moved closer to him, smiling as he laid his head on your shoulder, scratching your nails through his hair as you rested your head atop his.   

“There’s no rulebook for grief, Steve. It doesn’t matter how long she’s been gone.”  
“Thank you for thinking of her. She’d have loved you.”  
“You think so?”

Steve nodded. 

“I know so.”

You kissed the top of his head, and he lifted his head, lips finding yours. You moved a hand to cup his cheek, smoothing your palm over his beard. When he leaned back, you kept absently petting his cheek. 

“We can save Sarah.”  
“Oh, yeah?”

You nodded, lifting your eyes to his. 

“Maybe for the next one.”

Steve swallowed, looking down before leaning in to kiss you again. You broke the kiss this time with a groan, maneuvering yourself to the edge of the couch, taking Steve’s hands as he helped you stand. You shook your head as you looked up at him. 

“I’m over your daughter using my bladder as a trampoline.”

Steve laughed, watching you make your way down the hall to the bathroom. He lifted a hand to rub at his chest, glancing to the door as it opened. Bucky strolled in, a wide smile on his face. 

“Hey, Big Daddy.”  
“Auditioning for Tennessee Williams again, are we?”

Bucky shrugged and Steve nodded towards him. 

“Hey, what’s a name you like?”  
“For the baby?”

Steve nodded. 

“James.”

Steve rolled his eyes.

“Need I remind you it’s a girl?”  
“Boy names as girl names are all the rage. Look at Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Their daughter is named James.”  
“Yeah, and her mom is named Blake, so it fits.”  
“James Rogers is precious. You could call her Jamie.”

Steve pursed his lips, looking your way as you walked back down the hall. 

“Hey, what about Jamie?”

You snorted. 

“Why, is Bucky here again?”

You laughed as you rounded the corner, saw him standing there with a dirty look on his face. You shook your head, patting his chest as you walked to the fridge. 

“His  _only_ name suggestion is James. I’ve tried to veto it, but he keeps bringing it up.”  
“Jamie Rogers would be the cutest little girl!”

Steve shook his head, a fond smile on his face as you pulled a little bottle of apple juice from the fridge. You set it in front of Bucky, who opened it for you, and you carried it back to the couch. Bucky nodded, following you. 

“The couch looks great in here.”  
“Doesn’t it? Never mind the fact that we have zero other furniture.”  
“We’ve got a bed.”

You looked to Steve and bounced your eyebrows.

“Yes, we do.”

Bucky made a gagging noise that made you laugh. He shook his head, then walked to the door, opening it and pulling a large whiteboard out from the hallway and into the apartment. You raised an eyebrow and Bucky handed you a marker from his pocket. 

“Name board. Write down the ones you like and we’ll go from there.”

Steve pursed his lips. 

“‘ _We_ ,’ huh?”

Bucky snorted.

“You don’t actually think I’m going to just sit back while you name the baby Gertrude or something, do you?”

Steve met your eyes and held a hand towards Bucky, and you rolled your eyes as you sat on the edge of the couch. 

“So we like …”

You uncapped the marker and started writing. 

_Gemma_  
Aria  
Erin  
Piper  
Calliope

“Calliope? Are you kidding me?”

You looked to Bucky and he shook his head. 

“Don’t name her Calliope.”  
“Why not?”  
“Well, it’s going to be mispronounced for her whole life, for one. Cally-ope instead of Cah-lie-oh-pee.”

You looked to Steve and he nodded. You sighed, then erased  _Calliope_  from the names. You looked back to Steve. 

“What was that one we were talking about the other day?”  
“Eleanor? We thought Ellie or Elle could be cute.”

Bucky leaned back on the couch. 

“Elle Rogers. Ellie. Yeah, I’ll give you that one.”

You snorted. 

“Thanks for the green light.”

Bucky grinned and you shifted on the couch, grimacing and moving a hand to your stomach. Bucky sat up beside you. 

“You okay?”

You nodded. 

“Yeah, just … those Braxton-Hicks things have been annoying the crap out of me today. And—“

You groaned, handing the whiteboard and marker to him. 

“I’ve got to pee  _again_.”

Steve helped you stand, kissing the top of your head before you walked down to the bathroom. He looked back to Bucky, who had a smile on his face. Steve shook his head. 

“What?”  
“Nothing.”  
“Not nothing. What’re you smiling for?”  
“I just … I like being around you two. You’re good together.”  
“Well, I’d hope so, what with the impending child and all.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. 

“Somebody’s been combing through the dictionary again.”  
“Kiss my ass.”

Bucky laughed, standing up and walking to the refrigerator. He grabbed a beer and twisted the top off, tossing it towards the trashcan you hadn’t found a place for yet. When the top bounced off the side and clinked on the floor, Steve shook his head. 

“I’m glad you went with acting/modeling as a career, ‘cause you suck at basketball.”  
“This was a twist top and a garbage can. I do much better with balls and hoops.”  
“Having played against you many, many times, I can confirm that is a bald-faced lie.”

Bucky rolled his eyes as Steve chuckled to himself. Bucky took a long drink of the beer, then nodded to Steve. 

“You going to the big Christmas party tomorrow?”

Steve nodded. 

“She’s been looking forward to it. Got a new dress and everything.”  
“And you?”  
“My dress didn’t make it in yet.”

Bucky rolled his eyes as Steve chuckled again. 

“I’m just glad to have a break from work. I want to sleep all day, but she won’t let me.”  
“I don’t need to know the details of that, thanks.”

Steve rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, your room is right by ours, isn’t it?”  
“As a matter of fact, I’ve had to break out my earplugs again, so thanks for that.”

They turned as they heard the bathroom door open, and you turned to face them when you were back in the room. 

“Am I waddling?”  
“What?”

You held a hand to your belly. 

“Do I waddle when I walk?”

Bucky shook his head. 

“I don’t think so. Come walk for us.”

You did, walking in front of the couch towards what you and Steve had decided would be the baby’s room, then back towards the kitchen. You turned to face them and Steve and Bucky had matching looks on their faces. 

“I do, don’t I?”

Steve started to shake his head, but Bucky spoke up. 

“Little bit.”

You groaned, walking to sit beside Steve. 

“I’m only six months. We’ve still got three months to go and I’m already waddling.”  
“But it’s a cute waddle.”  
“Oh, shut up.”

Bucky laughed as Steve leaned over to kiss your cheek. You shook your head, and Steve moved a hand to rub over your belly. His face lit in a smile and Bucky nodded to him. 

“Is she moving?”

Steve nodded, and you glanced over to Bucky. You smiled, motioning for him to move closer and he did, scooting over on the couch, laying a hand near Steve’s. You moved his hand around, watching his eyes widen when the baby landed a particularly hard kick against his palm.  

“Wow.”  
“Yeah, that one kind of hurt.”

You moved his hand again, and Bucky smiled when he felt the baby shift positions. Steve shook his head, meeting your eyes. 

“I think she’s showing off for Uncle Bucky.”

You nodded. 

“Or … what does Bella call you?”

Bucky smiled. 

“Buck Buck. She sounds like a chicken when she says it.”

You laughed, laying your hand atop Steve’s. 

“Buck Buck. That’s too cute.”

Bucky smiled as he stared at his hand on your belly. 

“See, wouldn’t little Jamie calling me ‘Buck Buck’ be the cutest thing ever?”

You groaned and Steve laughed as he leaned in to kiss your cheek. 

“Just put it on the board to shut him up.”  
“But if I put his suggestion on the board, I’ll have to put the rest of theirs up there, too. And Christine is really pushing Marguerite.”

Bucky made a horrified face that made you laugh. 

“She said we could nickname her Margo or Margie.”

Bucky stared at you before he sat back on his heels and stood to his feet. 

“If you name that sweet baby Marguerite, I will take her away from you. Watch me.”

You laughed, and Steve shifted to keep one hand on your belly as he offered you his other hand. You laced your fingers with his and he kissed your cheek before resting his head on your shoulder. Bucky stretched his arms over his head, then went for the door. 

“See you at the party tomorrow.”

You and Steve waved, and Steve moved to stretch out over the couch, head resting on what little was left of your lap. You smiled, reaching over and grabbing the book again. 

“Emily.”  
“Hard pass.”  
“Jacqueline.”  
“Ugh.”  
“Molly.”

He opened his eyes. 

“Molly’s cute.”

You nodded, grabbing the marker and leaning forward, scribbling Molly under the other names on the list.

“Although Molly Rogers reminds me of the Jolly Roger.”

You glared down at Steve, who smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes as you pushed your fingers through his hair. 

“Keely.”  
“I like it, but it sounds like a little kid name. Like, what adult do you know named Keely?”

You sighed, turning the page and moving a hand to your belly, where the baby was stretching. 

“Don’t worry, baby girl. We’ve got three more months, so surely we can come up with a name by then.”

Steve’s breathing evened out and you glanced down, shaking your head and smiling, turning a page in the book and reading through more names. 

 

* * *

 

 

“Babe? You almost ready? The cab’s coming for us.”  
“Yeah, almost.”

Steve slid his jacket over his shoulders, fixing the collar of his shirt and fussing with his hair. You’d taken over the bathroom, so he was in the bedroom, getting dressed and studying his look in the mirror of the dresser he’d moved over from Christine’s. He checked the watch on his wrist and sighed, knowing the two of you would end up walking into the party when it was already in full-swing. 

“Baby, the cab’s going to be—“  
“Tony’s paying for it. Let the meter run and chill.”

Steve chuckled to himself, shaking his head and sliding his feet into his shoes. He sat on the bed to tie them, finishing and standing up when you walked into the room. 

“Okay, if we hurry, we can …”

His voice trailed off as you stopped on your side of the bed, picking up earrings from the top of the dresser he and Bucky had dragged over. You fastened them in your ears, then turned to him, shaking your head once. 

“What?”

Steve couldn’t speak. He couldn’t breathe. You stood before him in a simple sleeveless black dress, your hair cascading over your shoulders in waves. Your makeup wasn’t dramatic, dark around your eyes making them seem bigger, lips painted a mauve-y rose. The dress seemed molded to your figure, hugging your belly and putting it on display rather than trying to hide it. 

“I really don’t know if I should try the heels or just go with some flats. I don’t know if I trust my balance these days.”

Steve watched you float to your closet, studying the shoes in the holder on the back of the door. 

“Honey, can you grab these for me?”

Steve nodded, and he walked over to you, laying a hand on your back as he grabbed the shoes you pointed to. He knelt and set them on the floor and you held a hand to his shoulder as you stepped into them. 

“What do you think? Too much?”

Steve shook his head, watching you walk in the sparkly silver shoes. 

“I know black isn’t really a Christmassy color, but if I wear my red jacket … oh, that won’t work with these shoes, will it?”  
“You’re beautiful.”

You glanced back to him, a soft smile coming to your lips. 

“Thank you. You clean up nice too, buddy.”

Steve swallowed, walking over to you and taking your face in his hands, gently kissing your lips. You gave a happy sigh, moving your hands to his hips as he deepened the kiss. After a moment, you pulled back, thumbing away the lipstick staining his lips. 

“We’re late as it is.”

Steve shook his head. 

“You … god, Y/N.”

You smiled, holding a hand against his cheek. Steve closed his eyes, moving his hands to your hips and pulling you closer. You gave a soft laugh, shaking your head as Steve moved to rest his forehead against yours. He moved his hands to your belly, his fingertips at your hips, his palms on the swell of your sides, his voice soft. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

You lifted your head, waiting until he blinked his eyes open and looked at you. You nodded, moving your hands to slowly, gently rub his arms. 

“I am. Are you?”

He nodded, looking down at your belly as you spoke softly.  

“You know people are going to talk.”  
“Let them. I don’t care what they say.”  
“Are you sure?”

Steve lifted his head, meeting your eyes. 

“I love you. I love our baby. I love this life we’ve settled into. If anyone else has a problem with it, that’s on them. Not us.”

You sighed, stepping closer to him and resting your head on his shoulder. Steve wrapped an arm around you and smiled as he kissed the top of your head. 

“I am looking forward to the looks on people’s faces when you walk in with that belly.”

You rolled your eyes, stepping away from him and going into your closet to get your coat. 

“You know I’m a little self-conscious about the belly.”  
“Well, I for one  _love_ the belly.”  
“You are also a nerd.”

Steve laughed, looking at himself once more in the mirror before straightening his shoulders. He took your coat as you walked out of the closet, holding it for you to slip your arms in, fixing your hair over it. 

“I don’t know if I can button my coat. This is from my thinner days.”  
“It works.”

You sighed, turning to Steve, watching him fiddle with the sleeves of his shirt and jacket. You stepped up and bat his hands away, smoothing his clothes down yourself, moving your hands to the lapels of his jacket. 

“You’re so handsome. Every girl there will be jealous of me.”  
“Damn right.”

You laughed, taking hold of the lapels and pulling him down to where you could kiss him. He reached for you to pull you closer and you stepped away from him, pulling a scarf off your dresser and looping it around your neck. 

“Come on. Cab’s waiting.”

Steve groaned and you laughed, taking his hand as you left your apartment. 

 

* * *

 

 

“You do know everyone’s talking about you, right?”

You rolled your eyes, smiling at Christine as she sipped a glass of white wine.

“Of course. It’s only natural, what with this wide load I’m carrying.”

Christine snorted, turning to face the crowd. She nodded towards Steve and Bucky, chatting up people Tony and Pepper work with, Bucky with his arm around a leggy brunette. Christine leaned her head back, whistling softly to get your attention, then nodding. 

“Who’s the broad with Barnes?”

You smiled. 

“Maria Hill. She works with Tony, but  in … HR, I think.”  
“Sad she’s falling victim to the Barnes charm.”  
“We should trademark that. Barnes Charm,™.”

Christine giggled, shaking her head. 

“Is there anyone who hasn’t fallen victim to the Barnes Charm,™?”  
“I didn’t, and I’m fairly certain Pepper hasn’t either.”

Christine went quiet and your eyes widened. 

“You did not.”  
“Shut up.”  
“Oh my god,  _that’s_ why you two are always at each other’s throats!”  
“Listen.”

Christine whirled around, setting her wineglass down, eyes widening as she gripped the table. You pressed your lips together to keep from laughing out loud, subtly sliding the glass further away from her as she shook her head. 

“I think I’m drunk.”  
“I think so.”  
“I didn’t want to tell you this.”

You smiled, leaning across the table and laying a hand on hers. 

“It’s okay. Your secret is safe with me.”  
“It was a one-time thing. A really, really good one-time thing. I knew how he was and I just needed to get laid, and it was very much worth it at the time. I just didn’t think we’d become friends afterwards.”  
“Do the others know?”

Christine shook her head. 

“Just me, Bucky, and you. Maybe Steve. I don’t know exactly how close he and Bucky are when it comes to … that.”

You smiled and nodded. 

“I’ll take it to the grave.”  
“You’re good people, Y/N.”

You giggled, patting her hand before climbing from your seat. 

“I have to pee again.”  
“Want some company?”

You snorted, shaking your head. You held a hand to your stomach and made your way to the bathrooms, not noticing Steve watching your every move. 

 

* * *

 

 

“You’re so fucking whipped.”

Steve rolled his eyes, lifting the beer he’d been drinking to his lips. 

“I am not.”  
“Are, too.”

Bucky shook his head, nodding when the woman at the bar glanced back his way. Steve shook his head, taking a sip and setting the empty bottle on the table. 

“You’ll find out one day. Playing the field is fun and all, but there’s something about having the same person to come home to every day.”  
“All that domesticity … yuck.”

Steve smiled, sliding his thumbnail under the label on his beer, beginning to peel it back. 

“You say that, but … it’s really nice.”

Bucky set his beer aside, leaning in closer. 

“Be honest with me.”

Steve nodded. 

“Just one partner … Doesn’t the sex get … I don’t know. Boring?”  
“We share a wall, Buck. You tell me.”

Bucky made a face and Steve laughed. Bucky shook his head, leaning in again. 

“I don’t want to bring you down or pull up old heartaches but … you’re a monogamous kind of guy.”

Steve nodded. 

“What went wrong with Peggy?”

Steve glanced back across the room, seeing you laugh as Tony took your hands and led you to the dance floor. A smile broke over his lips and he looked back to Bucky. 

“The more I think about it, the more I see how wrong we were for each other. I mean, I loved her. I think a piece of me always will, because we went through a lot together. We grew up a lot together. But being with Y/N is so different.”

He went back to peeling the label, speaking as he focused on the bottle. 

“I’m happy with her. Not that I wasn’t happy with Peggy, but … it was different. It’s kind of hard to explain now. I just know that I’m where I’m meant to be and I’m with who I’m meant to be with. It’s easy with Y/N. Not that I don’t have to put in any effort, because I do, but … like tonight.”

He glanced out over the sea of faces, eyes locking on you almost immediately. He saw you throw your head back and laugh, one hand drifting to hold your belly. He couldn’t help but smile. 

“She walked into the bedroom in that dress and I couldn’t breathe. Tell me what’s so special about that dress?”

Bucky shook his head. 

“Nothing really.”  
“Exactly. There’s no sparkle, nothing to catch your eye. But god … even now, I get a glimpse of her and my chest feels tight.”

Steve shook his head, looking back to Bucky. 

“Maybe that makes me whipped. I don’t give a fuck. All I know is that I’ve got the most beautiful woman in here looking for me right now and I’ve got to go.”

Steve slid the bottle across the table to Bucky and walked onto the dance floor. You smiled when you saw him, reaching your hands out to him, laughing when he took them and pulled you in close. You smiled up at him, closing your eyes when he leaned down and kissed you. 

Bucky stood at the table Steve had left, watching the two of you together, the light in your eyes and the smile on his face. When the music slowed, Steve pulled you as close as your belly would allow, moving one hand to rest against it before wrapping his arms around you. Bucky swallowed, unable to stop the soft smile from coming to his face. 

 

* * *

 

 

You dragged Steve into the bathroom, pushing him against the door and taking hold of his face as you kissed him. He kissed you back, hands moving to grip your sides, giving a soft groan. 

“You’re so hot.”

You laughed, stepping back from him and smiling. 

“You’re the hot one.”

Steve shook his head, taking your hand and pulling you to the mirror. He stood beside you, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, jacket long discarded. You looked at your reflections, pursing your lips. 

“We do look pretty damn good.”  
“Right?”

You tapped his arm and he pulled your phone from his pocket. You arranged him how you wanted him, one hand on his hip, the other at the level of his belt. You backed up beside him, turning to the side so your belly was on full display. You fixed your hair over your shoulders, lifting your phone in your hand, snapping the picture. You did another one, cutting off yours and Steve’s heads, so just the neck down was visible. You relaxed when you saw the second shot, holding your phone out where Steve could see it. He smiled, nodding as he looked to you. You pushed the power button on the phone and he took it from you, sliding it into his back pocket and taking your hand, pushing you against the door and locking it. You stared up and him and sighed. 

“I don’t think the logistics for quick and dirty secret party sex are going to work for us.”

Steve laughed, hands going to your belly before he cupped your face. 

“Then let me just make out with you for a while.”

You shrugged and nodded.  

“Well, if you insist.”

Steve laughed, leaning in and kissing you, sighing against your lips as your hands moved to rest against his sides. 

 

* * *

 

 

You turned when a finger tapped your left shoulder, but there was no one there. You looked to your right and Tony grinned at you as you shook your head. 

“I hate it when you do that!”  
“I know. That’s why I do it.”

You rolled your eyes, but smiled anyway. You moved a hand to your belly and Tony nodded at it. Your smile widened as you looked to him. 

“I think she knows there’s a party going on. She’s going nuts in there.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. Give me your hand.”

He started to object, but you took his hand, pressing it against your belly. His eyes widened, eyebrows raising as a smile spread over his lips. 

“Wow.”  
“She’s like a little jumping bean tonight.”

Tony turned to face you, both hands moving over your belly. You watched his face, and for the first time, you noticed the longing in his eyes. 

“Oh, wow.”  
“What?”  
“You want a baby.”

Tony scoffed as he brought his eyes to yours and you raised an eyebrow. He held your gaze, then sighed. 

“Yeah, I …”

He sighed again and you moved a hand to cover one of his. He smiled as he looked down at your belly, hands moving slightly when the baby rolled. 

“I don’t know. Watching you through this has got me thinking.”  
“That’s dangerous.”  
“Ah, shut up.”

You laughed, and he smiled as he brought his eyes to yours. 

“We just got married. And I want us to be married for a little while, just me and her, you know?”

You nodded as he gave your stomach a gentle pat. He shrugged, giving you a crooked smile. 

“Maybe next Christmas will be different for all of us.”

You smiled at him, stepping forward and kissing his cheek. Steve walked up then, holding out a hand for you. 

“Come dance with me.”  
“I guess I could.”

You gave Tony’s hand a squeeze before you took Steve’s hand. He led you out on the dance floor and Tony turned his back to the bar, watching the two of you. 

“Hey, stranger. Buy a girl a drink?”

Tony smiled as he turned to look over his shoulder, leaning in and kissing Pepper. She raised an eyebrow when he pulled back, stepping to rest her forearms on the bar beside him. 

“You greet all the girls like that?”  
“Only the ones I’m contractually obligated to spend the rest of my life with.”

Pepper raised one eyebrow and he winced. 

“I’m going to pay for that one, aren’t I?”

She smiled, moving closer, resting her hip against his, moving a hand to card through his hair. 

“In the spirit of Christmas... I’m going to let that one go.”

Tony grinned at her. 

“Well, God bless us, everyone.”

 

* * *

 

 

When most of the crowd had cleared out, you were sitting at one of the tables, catching M&M’s in your mouth that Bucky was tossing to you. Christine shook her head from her spot across from you, where she was laying on her stomach on top of a table. 

“That’s skill.”

You nodded, catching another candy and chewing it. Bucky readied another one, then nodded to you. 

“Admit it. Uncle Bucky’s the favorite right now.”

He tossed the candy and you caught it, nodding. 

“You’re the front-runner right this second.”

He threw up his arms in victory and you giggled, rubbing a hand over the swell of your belly. You smiled when you saw Steve walking to you, and he stopped in front of you, cradling your face in his hands, pressing his lips to yours. You gave a happy sigh, moving a hand to grip his bicep as he deepened the kiss. Steve leaned back just a bit, making a face and glaring over his shoulder at Bucky. 

“Ow.”  
“Get a room.”

Bucky tossed another M&M at him, and Steve moved to catch it in his mouth. You laughed as you held a hand against your belly, and Steve turned to you, leaning in and whispering in your ear. 

“Can I take you home now?”

You shivered at the feel of his hot breath against your ear and you nodded. He held out his hands and helped you stand, squeezing your hands when you winced. You shook your head when you noticed the worry on his face. 

“My feet hurt. I should have went with the flats.”  
“But those are so pretty.”

You and Steve looked over to Christine, who pillowed her head on her arms as she watched the two of you. You shrugged and Steve looped your arm through his as he led you to the door, both of you gasping when you arrived at the coat closet, where Pepper and Tony were apparently hiding and making out. They broke apart and Tony waved a hand at your open mouth, shaking his head. 

“I have a license to kiss her. It’s fine.”

You giggled, shaking your head as Steve stepped around them, gathering your coat and his. 

“We’ll let you get back to it. Merry Christmas.”

Pepper started to say it back to you, but she was cut off when Tony pulled her in to kiss her some more. You laughed again, shaking your head as Steve held your coat, helping you put it on. He held his over his arm, holding your hand as the two of you walked outside. 

He let out a breath at the sudden chill, lifting a hand. One of the taxis parked nearby started up, pulling to the curb in front of you. Steve opened the door and you climbed in the backseat, with him right behind you. Steve stretched an arm across the backseat and you moved closer to him, resting your head against his shoulder. He moved his arm to wrap it around you, leaning in to whisper to you. 

“You okay?”

You nodded, glancing out the window, a smile spreading over your face. 

“Steve, look.”  
“What?”  
“It’s snowing.”

He smiled as he noticed the fat flakes falling from the sky. 

“Would you look at that? We’re going to have a white Christmas.”

You watched the snow the entire cab ride home, curled up beside Steve as his hand gently ran up and down your arm. When you got to your building, Steve opened the door, reaching a hand in to help you out. You kept hold of his hand, the two of you standing in the cool night, watching the snow fall, smiling with every flake that landed on your face. 

 

* * *

 

 

You ditched your shoes as soon as you walked into your apartment, stopping in the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water. Steve stepped up behind you, taking the weight of your belly in his hands, and you sighed as you leaned back against him. 

“I had fun tonight.”  
“So did I.”

You rolled your head on Steve’s shoulder, smiling when he took the hint and began pressing his lips to your neck. You closed your eyes as you soaked in the feel of his lips on your skin, shivering when he whispered in your ear. 

“You okay?”

You nodded, and he spoke again. 

“Let me take you to bed.”

You stepped away from him, seeing the unabashed hunger in his eyes, and you nodded. He took your hand, bringing it to his lips before he led you into the bedroom. He stopped beside the bed and stepped behind you, lips going to your neck again as he slowly slid the zipper down your back. 

“This dress … you look amazing.”  
“Thank you.”  
“I mean it. When I saw you in this … I didn’t want to leave. But then again, I wanted to show you off. Let everyone see how fucking beautiful you are.”

Your eyes opened, and you blinked as you lifted your head, staring at your reflection in the mirror of Steve’s dresser. 

“I saw you, you know.”

You didn’t answer him, but it didn’t stop him. 

“I saw you dancing with Bucky and Tony. A few other guys I hadn’t met before tonight. I saw you having a good time, enjoying yourself. But I also saw that every time one of those guys had you in his arms, you were looking for me.”

Your knees buckled when his lips touched the top of your spine, but he was ready for it and he held you up. Your voice was pitiful, wrecked, and he’d barely even touched you. 

“I love you.”

You could feel Steve’s smile. 

“I know you do, baby. And I love you, too. Let me show you how much.”

He turned you to face him, the dress falling to the floor and pooling at your feet. He shook his head when his hands moved to rub over your belly, and he swallowed hard when your hands started unbuttoning his shirt. You pushed the shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor on top of your dress. Steve’s head fell back when you undid his belt, leaving it in the pants as you unbuttoned and unzipped them, and he stepped out of them as he took your hand, leading you to the bed. 

You made him sit down and you sat in his lap, both of you laughing softly when your belly bumped against his abs. Steve shook his head, looking up into your eyes. 

“Not as easy as it used to be.”

You shook your head and he moved a hand to tuck your hair behind your ear. You smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him, hands moving to his shoulders to press until he lay down on the bed. He stared up at you, shaking his head. 

“I’m supposed to be showing you—“

You shushed him by pressing a finger to his lips. 

“You show me all the time. Let me take care of you tonight.”

Steve smiled, slowly shaking his head. 

“You do that every day.”

You leaned in, holding yourself up on your arms as you kissed him. Your belly brushed against his and his hands moved to hold your hips steady. Steve was breathing hard when you pushed off of the bed, standing beside it to undo your bra and drop it to the floor before shimmying out of your panties. You took hold of his boxers and he lifted his hips to help you take them off, cock slapping against his stomach when he settled into the bed. 

You climbed back on top of him, moaning when his fingers slid between your legs, groaning when he felt how ready you were for him. You nodded and he laid one hand on your hip, using the other to hold his cock steady as you lowered yourself onto it. 

You shared a groan, one hand digging into his hand on your hip, the other pushing through your hair. You rolled your hips the slightest bit, moaning softly. 

“God, you feel good.”

Steve had his eyes closed, trying not to focus on how tight your pussy was gripping him, groaning when you leaned forward and moved his hand to your breast. Steve shook his head, tendons in his neck straining. 

“Steve, look at me.”  
“I can’t.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I want this to last and I swear to God, I’m on a hair trigger right now.”

You smiled, letting go of his hands and relaxing back as much as you could, whimpering softly as you let your head fall back, soaking in the feel of him inside you. You shook your head, voice low and breathy. 

“I don’t think I’m … going to last much longer.”  
“Baby—fuck.”

Steve bucked his hips up and you gasped, pitching forward to dig your nails into his chest. He groaned as you swiveled your hips, and he moved his hands to your breasts, molding them in his hands before giving your nipple a pinch. That little twinge was all you needed, and Steve was mesmerized by your face as the orgasm washed over you. He kept pumping his hips in spite of the death grip you had on him, and he watched as your shoulders heaved with every sharp breath you took. He surged up, circling his arms around you, and you gave a choked moan as you wrapped your arms around his neck, clutching him tightly as the pleasure zipped through your veins. 

He moved to lay you down, watching your head thrash on the sheets as he slowed his thrusts, again mesmerized by the way your breasts bounced with every thrust. You grabbed his arm, digging your nails in, and he went still as you groaned his name. You let your hands fall by your head, body twitching with aftershocks, gasping for breath. 

“Are you okay?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Was that—“  
“One big one or a thousand little ones, I don’t know.”

Steve smiled, leaning down to kiss your cheek and you moaned, shivering at the feel of his movement. 

“Do I need to—“  
“No.”

Steve gave a soft laugh, hands on either side of your head, holding himself up. You exhaled, lifting a shaky hand to your hair, then nodded. 

“Pull out.”

He did as you asked, squeezing his eyes and groaning as you moved to your hands and knees. 

“Fuck, baby, you’re trying to kill me.”

You glanced over your shoulder, smiling at him. 

“What a way to go, though.”

Steve laughed, leaning in to kiss your lips before moving behind you. You squeezed your eyes shut as he pushed inside you, giving a long, low moan. He draped himself over your back and thrust his hips forward and you cried out, covering his hand with yours, the two of you lost in the sensations and each other. 

It wasn’t long before the warmth and familiar tingling started deep inside, spreading from your core to dance along every nerve ending in your body. 

“St—oh—Steve—“

Your spine stretched as the orgasm slammed into you, the scream you gave going silent as your body trembled, falling as your arms could no longer hold you up, putting your face in a pillow. Steve gave another thrust of his hips before going still, groaning into your ear as his body jerked, the air leaving his lungs in a rush. 

Steve pressed his lips to your shoulder before he rolled to the bed beside you, exhaling as he let his head rest back on the pillows. You rolled to your side as your body trembled, and Steve moved behind you, taking you in his arms. 

“Are you okay?”

You gave a watery laugh as Steve rolled closer to you, kissing your shoulder before resting his chin on it. He moved one hand to wipe the tears from your face and you rolled to your back, staring up at him.

“I love you.”

Steve smiled, using his thumb to brush the hair away from your forehead. 

“I love you, Y/N.”

He moved a hand down to your belly, gently rubbing. 

“Both of you.”

You smiled, closing your eyes as he leaned to kiss you, turning your head slightly as he moved to lay beside you, pulling the covers up over the two of you, taking you into his arms. 

 


	16. The One They Didn't See Coming

You were sitting on the couch beside Steve, and he had one arm draped over your shoulders. He held the baby book in his other hand, calling out names that appealed to him. 

“Nina.”  
“It’s cute, but …”

He nodded, flipping a page. 

“Olivia.”  
“Ooh, I like Olivia.”  
“Olivia Rogers.”

He nodded and you scribbled it on the whiteboard you had in your lap. Your almost nonexistent lap, but whatever. 

“Ophelia.”  
“No.”  
“Why? It’s different.”  
“ _Hamlet_.”

Steve turned his head to look at you, moving the book to his chest. 

“I thought you liked  _Hamlet_.”  
“I do. But Ophelia is such a tragic character, and I don’t want our baby to be named after a tragic character.”

Steve pursed his lips, but then nodded. 

“Yeah, I’ll give you that one.”

You smiled, shifting on the couch where your back was pressed against his side. 

“You okay?”  
“We’re crowded and uncomfortable.”  
“Anything I can do?”  
“You’re doing it.”

He leaned in and kissed your shoulder, flipping a page. 

“Paige.”  
“Cute.”  
“Maybe for a middle name?”  
“Exactly what I was thinking.”

Steve smiled, going down the list. 

“You know, Penelope has kind of grown on me a little bit.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. Penelope Rogers.”  
“Penelope Paige Rogers.”  
“Now that’s an option.”

You smiled, tapping a hand on your belly, smiling when you felt the baby nudge your hand. 

“We could call her Penny.”  
“Penny’s cute.”

You laid a hand on his thigh. 

“You know what we could do? For like a newborn announcement we could say ‘ _Look at our shiny new Penny_!’”

Steve groaned and you laughed as you squeezed his thigh. 

“Wouldn’t that be cute?”  
“It’s so corny. That’s like dad joke level corny and it’s coming from you.”

You laughed again, shaking your head and setting the board aside. You shifted some more, until you were laying on your back, your head on Steve’s lap as you stared up at the ceiling. 

“You okay?”

You nodded. 

“I don’t know, I just … I don’t feel the greatest.”  
“What’s wrong?”

You shook your head. 

“I don’t know. I’m just kind of blah.”

Steve nodded, setting the book aside and running his fingers through your hair. 

“What can I do?”

You closed your eyes, taking his other hand and holding it. 

“Just be with me.”  
“I got you, baby.”

You nodded, feeling yourself drift off. You wanted to stay awake, to spend more time with Steve, since his classes had started back and he was gone most of the day. But you just couldn’t keep your eyes open. 

 

* * *

 

 

You sat back and blew out a breath, relaxing into the couch and moving a hand to your belly. You shook your head and looked to the door as Bucky walked in, raising an eyebrow. 

“You good?”  
“Do I  _look_ good?”

He narrowed his eyes. 

“Is that a trick question?”

You gave a breathy laugh, pushing yourself forward and exhaling. 

“I can’t get to a position to get my shoes on. I can’t see my feet for all this belly. Then I dropped my hairbrush and I think it went under the couch, and I was just resigning myself to the fact that it’s dead to me now.”

Bucky gave a laugh. 

“Can I help you?”  
“Please.”

He walked to you, leaning over and kissing the top of your head before kneeling in front of you and helping you put your shoes on. He dug under the couch and handed you your brush and you sighed. 

“You okay, babe?”

You sighed again, holding a hand against your belly. 

“Yeah, I just … I don’t know.”

Bucky walked to sit beside you and you moved to rest your head on his shoulder. 

“I don’t know what it is. I don’t feel that great today, but everything I’ve read says that’s par for the course with the third trimester.”  
“You’re in the third trimester already?”

You rubbed a hand over your belly. 

“Yep. Twenty-nine weeks yesterday.”  
“Holy cow. She’ll be here in eleven more weeks.”

You nodded, sitting up and giving a quiet groan. 

“Can I help?”

You shook your head. 

“No, I’m just … I can’t get comfortable. If I lay down, I can’t breathe, but if I stand up, I get tired. And I just … don’t feel good.” 

Tears came to your eyes and Bucky rubbed the knob of your shoulder. 

“Hey, sweetheart. It’s okay. What can I do? How can I help you?”  
“I don’t know.”

Bucky leaned closer to you, moving his other hand to wrap you in a sideways hug. You lifted a hand to touch his arms around you, and when he pulled away, you sighed. 

“I think I want to quit my job.”  
“Whoa.”

You nodded, turning your head to look at him. 

“Is that stupid?”  
“Why do you want to quit?”

You swallowed, looking down at your hands. 

“I just … I don’t know. I’m tired. I like the work, but …”  
“But …?”

You looked over to see Bucky smiling at you, and he lifted a hand to tuck your hair behind your ear. 

“What’s the real reason?”  
“I put in my dates for my maternity leave and when I think about going back to work after she’s born, I start to panic.”

Bucky’s soft smile grew and you shook your head. 

“She’s not even here and I can’t even imagine leaving her in a daycare or with a babysitter or nanny or whatever. Whenever I think about it, I just—“

You took in a breath as tears were suddenly in your eyes. Bucky put an arm around you, smiling when you put your face in his shoulder. 

“I can’t wait to see you with her. You’re going to be the best mom.”

You gave a shaky sigh and Bucky gently rubbed your back. 

“Talk to Steve. He can help you make a decision that’s right for your family.”

You nodded, and Bucky put a finger under your chin. 

“And if you think for one minute I’d let you put that baby in daycare, you’re outta your goddamn mind. Ma would be personally offended if you didn’t enroll baby Jamie in the Barnes’ Kid Commune.” 

You laughed. 

“We’re not naming her Jamie.”  
“Keep telling yourself that.”  
“Your mom would really take care of her?”  
“My mom expects to be told when you go into labor. She’s your kid’s surrogate grandma, since Steve’s her basically adopted son.”

A tear slipped down your cheek and Bucky shook his head. 

“Hey, come on. None of that.”

He reached out and thumbed away the tear and you shook your head. 

“I’m so tired of these hormones.”

Bucky gave a laugh, leaning in to kiss your forehead. 

“You won’t have to deal with them too much longer. Come on. Can I ride with you to your office?”

You nodded, letting him help you stand, grabbing onto his arms. 

“Whoa, whoa. Easy.”

You sank back down onto the couch, giving a quiet groan as Bucky knelt in front of you. 

“Talk to me. Come on, Y/N, talk to me.”

You shook your head, holding your belly, closing your eyes and groaning again. 

“My head.”  
“What about it?”  
“It’s swimming.”  
“Okay. Just breathe.”

You did as he said, following his lead of breathing in through your nose, out through your mouth. After a few moments, you lifted your head. You met his eyes and nodded. 

“I’m okay.”  
“Are you sure?”

You nodded again. 

“I just … overdid it, I think.”  
“By standing up?”  
“Standing up too fast.”

Bucky shook his head and you laid a hand over his that was resting on your knee before he could speak. 

“I’m okay. I promise. I just need to take my time with routine tasks these days.”  
“When’s your next doctor appointment?”  
“Bucky—“  
“Y/N.”

You rolled your eyes. 

“Next week, for the big thirty. Okay?”

He sighed and you smiled as you reached to pat his face. 

“You’re worse than a woman.”  
“Well, sue me.”

You gave a quiet laugh, letting it trail into a sigh as you let your hand dance over your stomach. 

“This little girl is a mess already.”

Bucky smiled from his spot in front of you. 

“She’s going to be worth it all.”  
“Oh, I know.”  
“Buck Buck’s sure of it.”

You smiled, holding your belly as Bucky helped your to your feet again. He stood in front of you, hands on your waist, just waiting to see if you were okay. You nodded and smiled at him, and he held your hand as the two of you left your apartment. 

“What do you think about Penelope?”

Bucky tapped the down button on the elevator. 

“I don’t hate it.”  
“Penny’s a cute nickname, huh?”

Bucky pursed his lips, then nodded. 

“I could see us with a Penny.”

He smiled. 

“A shiny new Penny.”  
“That’s what I said!”

 

* * *

 

 

“Do you think we should do a Lamaze class?”

Steve stood up from where he’d been bent over in front of the refrigerator. 

“Do they even have Lamaze classes anymore?”  
“Maybe that’s something we should look into.”

Steve nodded, carrying his bottle of water towards where you were sitting on the couch. 

“If you want to, let’s do it.”

You nodded, and he raised an eyebrow as he took a long sip of his water. 

“Hey.”

You looked up at him, and he smiled. 

“You okay?”

You sighed, letting your head fall back on the armrest you were sitting against. Steve sat down at your feet, lifting them into his lap and starting to rub them. You slid down a bit to let your head rest against the armrest and spoke softly. 

“I need to talk to you about something.”

His hands faltered the slightest bit, but he calmly nodded. 

“Okay. What’s up?”

You licked your lips, setting your phone aside. 

“What do you think about me working after the baby’s born?”  
“Like going back to work after your maternity leave?”

You nodded, and Steve shrugged his bare shoulders. He’d come home and showered after hitting the gym when his classes were over, and he hadn’t bothered putting a shirt on. You, while enormously pregnant and feeling about as sexy as a clothes hanger, were simply enjoying looking at him. 

“I thought that was the plan.”

You nodded again, glancing down before looking to his face again. 

“What if we changed the plan?”  
“Changed it how?”  
“What if I didn’t go back to work?”

Steve looked up from your swollen ankle he was massaging, meeting your eyes. You blinked and he shook his head. 

“You don’t want to work anymore?”

You sighed. 

“I don’t know. I do, but … never mind. I’m being stupid.”  
“Hey, hey. Stop. You’re not stupid. Talk to me.”

You met his eyes, feeling your own well up with tears. Steve set your foot down in his lap, reaching for one of your hands. 

“What is it?”

You let out a sob, shaking your head. 

“I don’t feel good.”

He maneuvered himself out from under your legs, somehow slipping behind you, holding you in his arms while you cried against his chest. 

“What can I do?”

You shook your head, leaning closer to him as he held you. He stroked your hair, his head resting atop yours, murmuring nonsensical things so you could focus on the rumble of his voice. You finally calmed down and leaned back from him, sniffling and shaking your head. 

“I’m so tired. I can’t get comfortable, so I’m exhausted. I keep having these horrible nightmares and weird dreams that Stephen King could write novels about, so when I do sleep, I don’t rest. If I start to think about all the shit we need to do to get ready for this baby, I get all anxious. And then when I think about leaving her and going back to work, I panic.”  
“Panic?”

You nodded, leaning your head against his chest again. 

“She’s not even here yet and I can’t think about leaving her to go to work because I feel like I can’t breathe.”  
“Honey, this is not something you need to worry about right now.”  
“Steve, she’s going to be here in twelve weeks or less.”

He sighed, drifting his fingers through your hair. 

“Do you want to quit your job?”  
“I think so.”  
“I thought you loved it.”  
“I do. And maybe when she’s old enough to go to school or something, I can go back. But I … I don’t know. Bucky said his mom would take care of her, but even that …”  
“Makes you feel all panicky and nervous?”

You nodded. 

“I don’t know why. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”  
“Baby, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

You closed your eyes, shifting to move closer to him. He smiled, adjusting his arms around you, pulling you as close as he could. 

“Do you think it’s got anything to do with your parents?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I don’t know. I’m just delving into the psych side of things.”  
“Don’t you shrink me, Professor Rogers.”

He laughed. 

“Just go with me on this, would you?”

You nodded, letting out a breath. 

“I love my parents. They were great. They gave Pepper and me anything we ever wanted.”  
“… but?”

You sighed. 

“But … they weren’t there for me. I mean, they were there, but …”

You shook your head. 

“They were busy. Dad was always working and Mother had all her committees and luncheons and galas. We had a nanny and Pepper was the one I talked to about things.”  
“Do you think it would have been different if they hadn’t been so busy?”

You nodded. 

“I don’t want to sound like I had this horrible childhood with cold and distant parents. I had a wonderful childhood. And they were great parents, they just …”  
“I get it, babe.”

You took Steve’s hand and moved it to your belly. He smiled, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against yours. 

“She’s got the hiccups again.”

You nodded, going quiet for a moment, closing your own eyes before speaking softly. 

“Are you worried about the money?”  
“What?”

You licked your lips. 

“If I quit my job.”  
“Babe, the money isn’t a problem. Tony barely takes anything from us for rent. I know I don’t make a lot, but I think we’ll be okay.”  
“I do have a trust fund, you know.”

You opened your eyes when Steve leaned back, his eyes wide when they met yours.

“You do?”

You nodded. 

“I was able to access it when I turned twenty-five, but I’ve just been sitting on it. I took a little out for my last trip, but there’s more than enough for us.”  
“As in …?”  
“As in you could quit your job too and we’d be very comfortable.”

Steve gave a low whistle. slowly nodding before pressing his lips against your temple. 

“I just want you to be happy. If staying home with our baby would make you happy, do it.”  
“Really?”

Steve helped you sit up and turn to face him. He smiled, reaching to tuck your hair behind your ear. 

“Let me indulge in my old-fashioned ideals.”

You couldn’t help but smile. 

“Of me at home, barefoot and pregnant while you bring home the bacon?”  
“Exactly.”

You laughed, shaking your head. 

“I’m not wearing a dress every day, having dinner on the table and a martini ready for you when you get off work.”

Steve gave a laugh. 

“Well, damn.”

You smiled and he leaned in, holding your face in his hand as he kissed you. You kissed him back, smiling and leaning into his hand. His thumb rubbed over your cheekbone and he smiled at you. 

“I don’t want to quit my job.”  
“Okay.”  
“But if you want to quit yours, you should. You’re the mom, and you know what’s best.”

You smiled, accepting the kiss Steve pressed to your lips again. Your voice was soft when you whispered to him. 

“Thank you.”

Steve smiled, kissing your temple, resting his head against yours.

“We’re going to be just fine, baby.”  
“I know we are.”  
“I love you.”

You smiled, closing your eyes, taking in a breath and letting it out slowly, resting your head against his shoulder.

“I love you too, Steve.”

 

* * *

 

 

Christine flipped a page in the magazine she was reading, and Pepper bounced the tea bag in her cup as she walked over to the living room. You were laying on the couch, watching the news on TV, absently sipping a Sprite, the only thing you’d been able to stomach all day. 

“Hey, you know what we should do?”

You glanced over as Christine set her magazine aside. Pepper moved to sit on the arm of the couch near your feet, sipping her tea. Neither one of you answered, but that didn’t bother Christine. 

“Baby shower.”

You pursed your lips and Pepper nodded. 

“Definitely. As long as I can be in charge of decorations.”

Christine rolled her eyes. 

“I do  _one_ party a  _little_ over the top and I’m banned from decorating for life.” 

You laughed, moving a hand to your belly. 

“I liked your over-the-top decor, Chrissy.”

Pepper shook her head, waving a hand towards you.

“She’s just being nice. It was too much.”

You laughed again, shifting the put your toes under Pepper’s thigh, giggling when she gently pinched your ankle. Pepper nodded towards Christine. 

“I like the idea of a baby shower. We could have it here.”  
“Or at the cafe.”  
“Ooh, the cafe!”  
“We could do a brunch shower.”  
“Oh, wouldn’t that be fun?”

You gave a sigh and they looked to you and you shook your head. 

“Sorry, I just … can’t breathe.”

Christine and Pepper moved to help you sit up and you sighed again, resting a hand against your belly. Christine smiled, putting her hands on you, her smile widening when the baby moved under her hands. 

“This little girl needs to drop. Give her Mama some breathing room.”

You gave a breathy laugh, shaking your head. 

“She can keep me uncomfortable for a while longer. I want her to cook as long as she can.”

You gave your belly a rub and Pepper smiled beside you. 

“Would you like a baby shower?”  
“You mean a party where I can get things I need for this baby and not have to sit up at night worrying over? Yes, please.”

Pepper laughed and you shook your head. 

“This third trimester’s starting out to be a doozy.”  
“Not much longer now.”

You nodded, patting your belly. 

“Plan away. I’ll get you a list of names of people Steve and I work with that you can invite.”  
“Aw, that’ll be so sweet!”

You nodded towards Christine, then shook your head. 

“But not now. Now, I have to pee, and I’m very sorry, but one of you is going to have to help me stand up again. I’m all of a sudden wobbly.”

Christine made a face at Pepper, who just rolled her eyes and stood to her feet. 

“I’ve seen much worse than that through your lifetime. Come on, Big Mama.”

 

* * *

 

 

You were laying on the couch with Steve behind you, and he was alternating between keeping his hands on your belly to feel the baby move and gently massaging your shoulders. You had a movie going on Netflix that neither one of you were really watching, and you were dozing off in his arms. Your stomach growled and Steve laughed, moving a hand to rub circles over your belly. 

“The food should be here soon, babe.”  
“Don’t forget the duck sauce.”  
“I’m not going to forget the duck sauce. Are you sure you should be eating duck sauce?”

You rolled your eyes. 

“It’s fine. And the egg roll slathered in duck sauce is the first appetizing thing I’ve run across today, so just don’t forget the sauce.”

Steve shook his head, sighing as he went to work on your shoulders again. 

“Did you eat anything at all today?”

You sighed, leaning your head on his shoulder. 

“A few crackers. I just felt so nauseous all day today. Nothing sounded good and even the thought of food made me want to puke. I thought I was past all this now.”

Steve started to open his mouth, closing it again when there was a knock at the door. You smiled, leaning your head back to meet his eyes, making him laugh softly.

“Duck sauce.”  
“I know, I know.”

He crawled out from behind you, kissing your lips and jogging towards the door. You couldn’t hear anything from the television blaring and you rolled your eyes with a smile when you saw the five-dollar bill on the end table. You grabbed it and carefully maneuvered yourself off the couch, standing still for a moment, holding a hand to your belly as you made your way to the door. 

“Steve, I think you forgot …”

Your voice trailed off as you took in the sight before you. Steve turned to face you, his own face shockingly pale. Your heart tripped when you saw the look in his eyes, feeling your entire being come to a screeching halt when you shifted your eyes to the other person standing in the doorway. You blinked, hearing your heart pound in your ears, one whispered, wounded word leaving your lips. 

"Peggy."


	17. The One Where They Finally Get It

You looked back at Steve, who was staring at the woman in the doorway. Peggy gave a laugh, shaking her head, dark curls bouncing around her face. 

“Y/N, darling, it’s so nice to see you.”

You nodded, stepping forward and accepting the hug. Peggy held you at arms’ length, shaking her head and laughing again. 

“I had no idea you were expecting. Congratulations, dear.”  
“Thank you.”

You moved a hand to your belly, the baby strangely quiet inside, as if she could tell something was wrong. You felt a nudge against your palm and you smiled, looking to Steve, who had his eyes closed as he ran a hand down his face. You looked to Peggy, who crossed her arms over her chest, pointedly looking away before looking back to you. You forced yourself to smile, nodding once. 

“I’m going to let the two of you talk.”

Steve lifted his head at that, meeting your eyes. You gave him a smile, nodding, giving a quiet laugh as Peggy stepped out of your way. You started across the hall to Tony and Pepper’s apartment, stopping when Peggy’s voice met your ears. 

“It was good to see you, Y/N.”

You nodded, unable to turn around due to the tears in your eyes. 

“You too, Peggy.”

You didn’t bother knocking on Tony and Pepper’s door; you pushed it open and stepped inside, hand immediately going to cover your mouth. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

You couldn’t hold back the sob and Tony jumped up from his chair, hurrying around the couch and taking your hands. 

“What is it?”

You shook your head, sobbing more when you put your face in his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around you, making quiet shushing noises as he held you close. 

“Am I hearing musical doors or is it dinner time? Wait. Y/N?”

Tony shook his head as Bucky stepped into the apartment. 

“What’s wrong?”

Tony shook his head again, rubbing your back. He and Bucky looked at the door when it opened again, and Pepper and Christine stopped short in the doorway. Pepper put her bags down and walked to her husband. 

“What happened?”

Tony shook his head and you lifted your head from his shoulder, sobbing as your sister wrapped you in a hug. 

“Honey, what? What’s wrong? You have to talk to us, Y/N.”

You gave a shaky breath as you stepped away from Pepper. Bucky stepped over and grabbed your hand and you closed your eyes, barely choking out the word. 

“Peggy.”

Everyone looked around the room, meeting each other’s eyes. Christine shook her head, stepping forward. 

“What about Peggy, honey?”

You looked to her, lip trembling before you spoke. 

“She’s here.”

Tony covered his mouth with a hand while Christine’s eyes widened. Pepper stared at Tony while Bucky turned, taking you in his arms and holding you close. 

 

* * *

 

 

You were sitting on the couch with your feet propped up, a cold rag on your forehead and Christine not even being nonchalant about taking your pulse. 

“This really isn’t necessary.”  
“Yeah, tell that to the contractions.”  
“They’re Braxton-Hicks.”  
“Shut up and let me concentrate.”

You sighed, closing your eyes and letting your head fall back. Bucky was pacing the kitchen, Tony and Pepper conversing out on the balcony. 

“Chris, really. I’m fine.”  
“Honey—“  
“I just got worked up, that’s all.”

You took your wrist from her hands, moving the rag off your forehead and holding it. Christine covered her mouth with a hand and you sighed, staring down at the rag. 

“I think I was in shock.”  
“Understandably.”

You nodded, sniffling before you spoke again. 

“Buck, will you stop putting a rut in the floor and come sit with me?”

He blew out a breath, but did as you asked, sitting beside you, shaking his head before turning to face you. 

“How?”

You shook your head, turning your attention back to the rag. 

“We’d ordered Chinese food. I’ve felt sick all day and that was the only thing that sounded good. I thought the food was being delivered and Steve went to answer the door.”

You shook your head, looking to Christine. 

“He always forgets the duck sauce, and it was the one thing I really wanted tonight. And he’d left the tip on the table, so I grabbed it and waddled over there to remind him one more time.”

She smiled softly at you and you shook your head, looking back down at your hands. 

“But it wasn’t the delivery person. It was Peggy. Steve was just standing there like he’d seen a ghost, and I had to hug her and …”

You looked to Bucky. 

“She didn’t know I was pregnant. I mean, I don’t know. I knew they hadn’t really kept in touch, so I should have been expecting it, but … She just looked shocked to see me.”

You shook your head. 

“Steve didn’t say a word, but Peggy made it obvious that they needed to talk. Alone. So I came over here.”

Bucky closed his eyes, and Tony and Pepper walked back into the room. Tony sighed and Bucky pushed himself off the couch, staring down at you. You gave a shake of your head, reaching out for him, but he started for the door. Pepper stepped in front of him, hands rising to his chest. 

“What are you doing?”  
“What do you think I’m doing?”  
“Don’t—“

Bucky stepped around Pepper, giving a hard laugh when Tony stepped in front of him, one hand in the middle of his chest. Bucky shook his head. 

“Get out of my way, Tony.”  
“Simmer down, Barnes.”  
“Sim—no! He can’t tell Y/N that he loves her for five, six months then forget about her as soon as Peggy fucking comes back.”  
“That’s not your—“  
“The  _fuck_ it’s not!”

Bucky’s hands grabbed Tony’s shirt, pulling him in where they were nose-to-nose, and you cried out, scrambling to your feet. 

“Don’t!”

Bucky turned back to you and you shook your head, reaching out for him, wincing as one hand went to your belly. Bucky gave a shaky sigh, releasing Tony and walking back to you, taking your hand and helping you to the couch, sitting on the coffee table and brushing your hair from your face as he murmured for you to breathe. Christine brought a bottle of water to you and she and Bucky got you onto your side, making you drink the water as tears rolled down your cheeks. Bucky knelt in front of you, holding tight to your hand. 

“Easy. Easy, Y/N, just breathe.”  
“Don’t go.”  
“I’m not. I’m right here.”

You gave a shaky breath, moaning softly. Pepper shook her head, pacing behind the couch. 

“Maybe we should go to the hospital, get you checked out.”  
“No.”  
“Stress isn’t good for the baby. Maybe we should—“  
“Pepper, no.”

She walked over and sat on the arm of the couch, and you lifted a hand. She sighed as she linked her fingers with yours and you closed your eyes, willing the pain in your abdomen to cease. Pepper brushed her fingers through your hair, glancing back to see Tony slowly pacing the kitchen, with his hands behind his head, chewing on a pen top. Bucky moved to lay beside you on the couch, pulling you against his chest, rubbing a hand over your stomach as you leaned your head on his shoulder.

 

* * *

 

 

Bucky kept brushing his fingers through your hair, one hand on your belly at all time. Neither of you had moved from laying on the couch, and you were staring at the wall. Christine had to leave to work the night shift at the hospital, and Tony and Pepper were hovering, while trying to keep a respectable distance. 

You heard Bucky take in a breath, like he was going to say something, but no sound left his lips. You moved a hand to cover his over your stomach and he sighed, pushing his face into your hair before his voice rumbled behind you. 

“What are you thinking?”

You smiled, taking in a breath and letting it out slowly. 

“I really don’t know.”  
“Are you scared?”  
“That he’ll realize he’s still in love with her and leave me? I mean, that deep-seated insecurity isn’t something that just goes away.”

Bucky sighed behind you and you closed your eyes as you felt the baby move. 

“I love him, Buck. Big love. And I … I don’t know. I don’t think he’ll choose to be with her, but …”  
“If that’s even what she’s here for.”

You rolled your eyes. 

“What else would she be here for? You don’t fly halfway across the world to find an old boyfriend and just say hey. She’s here to try to get him back.”  
“But why now? Why after all this time?”

You shrugged. 

“It hasn’t been that long. Almost two years?”  
“That’s a long time, Y/N. And her fucking timing is impeccable, you know? Just when he thinks he can move on … you know, this is so like her.”

You smiled. 

“You used to like her, you know.”  
“Yeah well, that was before she broke my best friend’s heart and made you cry.”

Both of you stopped when the baby stretched, then rolled beneath your hands. Bucky gave a full-body shiver, shaking his head. 

“God, that’s weird.”

You laughed. 

“Try feeling it from the inside. I feel like I’m in an alien invasion.”

You tapped his thigh and he crawled out from behind you, helping you sit up and gain your bearings. When your head wasn’t swimming anymore, you smiled up at him. 

“It’s going to be okay, Buck.”  
“You think so?”

You kept smiling and nodded. 

“I just want him to be happy. If that’s with me, perfect. If it means he needs to be with Peggy … we’ll figure it out.”

Bucky grinned. 

“You think he’ll pick you.”  
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself. And I don’t want anyone to think I’m some prize to be grabbed off the shelf. If he loves me the way I think he does, I know it’ll all work out. And if I’m wrong, well… I’ve got you and Christine and Pepperony on my side.”

Bucky laughed. 

“If he picks her, we’re excommunicating him from the group. Nobody messes with Baby Mama.”

You laughed, patting his face before putting your hands in his. He helped you stand and you winced as pain shot through your lower abdomen. 

“Y/N. Talk to me.”

You shook your head, squeezing his hands. Pepper came up behind you, leaning over the couch and gently touching your back. 

“Honey? Breathe.”  
“I’m okay.”  
“Y/N.”

You slowly let out a breath, shaking your head. 

“I’m fine. I promise. It just … hurts sometimes when I stand.”  
“How long has that been going on?”  
“Couple days. But I’m fine. I promise you all, I’m fine. Baby’s not coming right now. We’re good.”

You made a face.

“Scratch that. We’ll be better once we visit the bathroom yet again.”

You looked to Pepper, who rolled her eyes but smiled. She looped an arm around your shoulders, slowly walking with you to the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve stopped outside Tony and Pepper’s door, hanging his head, feeling exhausted down to his very bones. Seeing Peggy again combined with the talk they’d had, not to mention the full day he’d already had taking care of Y/N… Steve was just tired.

He raised a hand to knock on the door, but a quick glance at his watch revealed how late at night—or early in the morning—it was. He dug his keys out of his pocket, slipping one of the keys into the lock and walking inside, silencing the alarm with the code Tony had given him. 

The apartment was dark, save for the light above the stove. Steve headed for the spare bedroom, coming to a stop when he saw the couch. 

You were lying there on your back, a quilt around you, one hand on your belly and the other up by your head. He’d watched you sleep that way a dozen times, but now it damn near broke his heart. 

Steve gave a shuddering exhale, taking a seat on the coffee table, leaning over to drift his fingers through your hair, brushing it away from your face. You stirred just like he knew you would, slowly blinking your eyes open like a sleepy Disney Princess, taking in a breath when your eyes landed on him. 

“Hey.”

Steve smiled, voice hoarse when he answered you. 

“Hey.”

You blinked, and Steve knew you were racking your brain for the right words to say, the right questions to ask. You swallowed, speaking low again. 

“Where’s Peggy?”

A small smile played at Steve’s lips. 

“Trying to get a flight to Heathrow, I imagine.”

Both of your eyebrows raised and Steve hung his head, exhaling before he lifted his eyes to you. 

“I’m so sorry.”

You shook your head and Steve reached under the quilt, resting his hand against your belly, closing his eyes when he felt the baby move. He gave another shaky exhale, then looked at you. 

“I had no idea she’d be there when I opened the door. I was … I was shell-shocked, Y/N. I couldn’t breathe. All I could see was Peggy and I couldn’t think straight.”

You slowly nodded and he slid off the coffee table, hitting his knees on the floor in front of you. 

“Peggy and I went through so much together. She was a big part of my life—the biggest part—for years. I never imagined it would end the way it did and seeing her again … I didn’t know what I was feeling. Not until you walked away.”

He shook his head, taking your hand. 

“I should have said something while you were there. I should have slammed the door in her face, I don’t know.”

He met your eyes again. 

“I never wanted you to feel like you were taking a backseat because she showed up. But I needed that time with her to get closure.”

Your eyebrows drew together and he smiled. 

_Peggy’s eyes were wide when she turned to him, once Y/N had stepped into her sister’s apartment._

_“My word. Things certainly have changed around here, haven’t they?”_

You have no idea _, Steve thought. He cleared his throat, shaking his head as Peggy stepped into the apartment. He lifted a hand to rub over his chin, closing the door as he heard Bucky’s door open. He gave a sharp exhale and her soft voice seemed to echo through the quiet._

_“You with your beard. Y/N’s expecting. It’s like a whole new world.”_   
_“What are you doing here, Peg?”_

_He turned to see her standing in the middle of his living room. The living room he was sharing with Y/N, in the space where they were slowly, quietly making their family. She fiddled with the strap of her purse on her shoulder before tossing it onto the coffee table Christine had found at a vintage store and “gifted” them. Peggy sighed, lifting her eyes to Steve’s._

_“I went to our old building and they said you’d moved out.”_

_Steve nodded._

_“I couldn’t afford the apartment on just my salary. Which is something we discussed that when we signed the lease.”_   
_“I know. Steve, I—“_

_He shook his head._

_“I don’t … want to hear your apologies. Why are you here?”_

_She nodded._

_“The bellhop at our old building told me you’d left a forwarding address. You moved in with Christine?”_

_Steve lifted his shoulders, moving to lean against the counter in the kitchen._

_“She had a room. It was closer to the subway for work.”_

_Peggy nodded again._

_“I went there, to her place, but no one answered when I knocked. The doorman there said you’d recently moved out and you’d left another forwarding address.”_

_Steve nodded, holding out an arm._

_“Home sweet home.”_   
_“It’s very nice. Quite an upgrade from—“_   
_“Peggy, why are you here?”_

_She sighed, clasping her hands together in front of her._

_“I know I have no right to ask anything of you—“_   
_“No, you don’t. You lost that right when you left me.”_

_Steve crosses his arms over his chest and Peggy’s eyes widened before she nodded._

_“I deserve that. I deserve everything you want to throw at me. But Steve …”_

_She gave a shaky exhale._

_“I made a mistake.”_

_Steve swallowed hard. He closed his eyes, only half-listening as she stammered through the next part of her speech. Something about seeing the world and taking chances. Steve glanced at the refrigerator, where the ultrasound picture from the gender reveal party had a magnetic frame around it. The technician had typed out ‘It’s a Girl!’ and Y/N had found a tiny sticker of a hair bow and stuck it on the baby’s head._

_His baby._

Their  _baby._

_He glanced back to the living room, where Peggy stood with an anxious look on her face. He was almost certain she’d asked him a question, but he couldn’t say what it might have been. He shook his head, letting his arms fall to his sides._

_“Do you know how many times I’ve dreamed of opening the door to find you standing there? How many times I’ve closed my eyes and imagined you saying those exact words to me?”_

_A smile played at Peggy’s painted red lips and he gave her a sad smile._

_“It was … everything I wanted a year ago. To have you come back to me.”_

_He gave a shake of his head, sighing before he turned to face her._

_“But you’re right. Things have changed.”_   
_“Oh, Steven, I know they have. But if you’d just give us another chance—“_   
_“Aren’t you curious?”_

_Peggy stopped, blinking those dark, doe eyes._

_“Curious about what?”_   
_“How I came to live here. What Y/N was doing here.”_   
_“Well, I just assumed you’d kept up your movie nights. Or wasn’t there a television show the two of you liked to watch?”_

_Steve nodded._

_“It’s not on tonight.”_

_Peggy blinked again, taking a small step back from him._

_“What are you trying to tell me, Steve?”_   
_“Don’t you want to know about the baby?”_

_Peggy glanced at the floor, speaking softly._

_“Y/N’s baby?”_

_When Steve didn’t answer, she lifted her head again. He waited until her eyes were locked onto his and he spoke, more calmly than even he was expecting._

_“My baby.”_

_Peggy’s dark eyes widened as she took another step backwards. She exhaled a broken breath, shaking her head._

_“No, you … you two…”_   
_“I love her, Peggy.”_

_Peggy went still, staring at him as tears welled up in her eyes. He shook his head, speaking softly._

_“I’m in love with her and we’re having a baby.”_   
_“No. No, you … Steve.”_

_He shook his head again, walking to the refrigerator and taking down the ultrasound picture. He stared at it, ran his finger over the “Hey Mom and Dad!” written above her little feet. He walked over, handing it to Peggy, watching a tear slip down her cheek as she studied the picture._

_“Some part of me will always love you, Peggy. We grew up together and I thought we’d grow old together. But you left, and … I’m not sorry for it. Not anymore.”_

_She shook her head, a sob mixing in with her words._

_“I made a mistake.”_

_Steve nodded, feeling strange that her tears weren’t affecting him the way they once did. He licked his lips, bringing his eyes back to hers._

_“Maybe so. But your mistake brought me the greatest joy I’ve ever known. I’m going to be a father, and the mother of my child is a woman I can’t imagine spending one day of the rest of my life without. I love her, Peggy. I’m going to marry her. And as much as it broke my heart when you left me … I’m so grateful for it now.”_

_Tears slid down Peggy’s cheeks as she stared at him. She slowly nodded, pressing her lips together, staring down at the ultrasound picture before she spoke again._

_“You have changed. You’re not the man I used to know.”_

_Steve nodded, and she spoke again, lifting her head, a wobbly smile on her trembling lips._

_“You’re better. More mature. You’re going to be a fantastic father.”_

_Steve smiled as he hung his head, and Peggy handed the picture back with a slightly shaking hand. She turned and gathered her purse from the coffee table, pulling out a tissue and wiping the black trails of mascara from her cheeks. He watched her take a breath and set her shoulders before she turned, looking into his eyes as she smiled, though her dark eyes shone with tears._

_“I’m happy for you, Steve.”_

_She went up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, patting his chest before she started for the door. Steve grabbed her hand and she turned back to him._

_“I never wanted to hurt you, Peg.”_

_She smiled._

_“Oh, darling. I know.”_   
_“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”_

_She nodded, forcing a smile onto her face, giving his fingers a squeeze before she walked out of the apartment._

_Out of his life for the last time._

You held a hand over your mouth, tears dripping down your cheeks. You shook your head and Steve leaned in, tears in his own eyes. 

“I love you. Seeing Peggy tonight only amplified that. You have my whole heart, Y/N Potts, now and forever.”

You couldn’t hold back the sob as he pushed to his feet, leaning over the couch and kissing you. You moved your hands to cup his face, fingers trembling as you slipped them through his beard, mouth moving with his. He gave a hard exhale and you moved to wrap your arms around him, holding him tightly as he hugged you back, closing your eyes and resting your temple against his. After a quiet moment of just soaking in the feeling of being held, Steve spoke softly. 

“Let me take you home.”

You nodded, and he pressed his lips to your forehead before straightening. You stood with his help, turning to follow him, but stopping at the back of the couch.

You felt your heart throb in your chest, and everything around you felt like it was suddenly in slow motion. You blinked, feeling the seconds tick by from the time you closed your eyes to when you opened them again. 

“Y/N?”

You slowly lifted your head towards him, white noise filling your ears as you felt your heartbeat pound in your skull. You gave a shake of your head as your vision started to swim and you reached for him, your hand shaking and barely lifting from your side. Steve stepped forward, saying your name again and again, but you couldn’t get your voice working to answer him. You felt your world tilt on its axis, hearing Steve’s terrified voice scream your name as you felt yourself start to fall, eyes rolling back in your head. 

And then, there was nothing.


End file.
